CVE-2023-21979 in WebLogic Server
Summary
by MITRE • 04/18/2023
Vulnerability in the Oracle WebLogic Server product of Oracle Fusion Middleware (component: Core). Supported versions that are affected are 12.2.1.3.0, 12.2.1.4.0 and 14.1.1.0.0. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via T3 to compromise Oracle WebLogic Server. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized access to critical data or complete access to all Oracle WebLogic Server accessible data. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 7.5 (Confidentiality impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/11/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-21979 represents a critical security flaw within Oracle WebLogic Server, specifically within the Core component of Oracle Fusion Middleware. This vulnerability affects multiple supported versions including 12.2.1.3.0, 12.2.1.4.0, and 14.1.1.0.0, making it a widespread concern for organizations utilizing these server configurations. The flaw resides in the T3 protocol implementation which serves as a binary protocol for communication between WebLogic Server instances and clients, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system without requiring authentication credentials. The CVSS 3.1 scoring system assigns this vulnerability a base score of 7.5, reflecting high severity with a vector indicating network-based attack accessibility with low attack complexity and no privileges required for exploitation.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and authentication mechanisms within the WebLogic Server's T3 protocol handler. Attackers can leverage this flaw by establishing network connections to the vulnerable WebLogic Server instances, bypassing traditional authentication requirements entirely. The vulnerability's exploitation allows for unauthorized access to critical data stored within the server environment, potentially leading to complete data compromise across all accessible server resources. This represents a significant threat to data confidentiality as the vulnerability specifically targets the confidentiality impact category with a high severity rating of 7.5. The T3 protocol's design and implementation flaws create an attack surface that enables remote code execution and data exfiltration without requiring any prior authentication or authorization.
From an operational impact perspective, organizations running affected WebLogic Server versions face substantial risk of data breaches, intellectual property theft, and system compromise. The vulnerability's ease of exploitation means that attackers with basic network access can potentially gain complete access to sensitive corporate data stored within these server environments. This threat is particularly concerning for enterprises that rely on WebLogic Server for mission-critical applications and data processing, as the compromise of a single server instance can lead to cascading effects across interconnected systems. The lack of authentication requirements for exploitation makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by automated scanning tools and malicious actors without specialized credentials or insider knowledge.
Security mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-21979 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Oracle WebLogic Server installations to the latest security releases provided by Oracle. Organizations must implement network segmentation and firewall rules to restrict access to T3 protocol ports, particularly in production environments where such exposure is unnecessary. The implementation of network monitoring and intrusion detection systems can help identify potential exploitation attempts by monitoring for unusual T3 protocol traffic patterns. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of affected WebLogic Server versions within their infrastructure and ensure proper access controls are implemented. According to CWE guidelines, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 which addresses improper access control mechanisms, and from an ATT&CK framework perspective, it maps to T1190 - Exploit Public-Facing Application and T1071.3 - Application Layer Protocol: DNS, demonstrating how attackers can leverage publicly accessible protocols to gain unauthorized access to enterprise systems. Organizations should also consider implementing application-level firewalls and regular security audits to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in the future.