CVE-2024-20931 in WebLogic Server
Summary
by MITRE • 02/17/2024
Vulnerability in the Oracle WebLogic Server product of Oracle Fusion Middleware (component: Core). Supported versions that are affected are 12.2.1.4.0 and 14.1.1.0.0. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via T3, IIOP 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).
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/29/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-20931 represents a critical security flaw within Oracle WebLogic Server, specifically within the Core component of Oracle Fusion Middleware. This vulnerability affects two major version lines including 12.2.1.4.0 and 14.1.1.0.0, which are widely deployed in enterprise environments for application hosting and middleware services. The flaw manifests as an easily exploitable weakness that can be leveraged by unauthenticated attackers who possess network access to the target system. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that the attack vector requires minimal technical expertise or resources to successfully compromise affected systems, making it particularly dangerous in production environments where security controls may be insufficient.
The technical nature of this vulnerability lies in the T3 and IIOP protocol implementations within the WebLogic Server, which serve as communication channels for client-server interactions and remote method invocation. These protocols are commonly used for managing and monitoring WebLogic Server instances, but in this case they have been found to contain a flaw that allows attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms entirely. The vulnerability's CVSS score of 7.5 reflects the high impact on confidentiality, indicating that successful exploitation can lead to unauthorized access to critical data or complete access to all data accessible through the compromised WebLogic Server. The attack vector requires network access and utilizes the T3 protocol, which is a proprietary protocol used by WebLogic for client-server communication and management operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data theft, as it can result in complete compromise of the affected WebLogic Server instances. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can gain unauthorized access to sensitive corporate data, potentially including intellectual property, customer information, financial records, and other confidential assets stored within or accessible through the compromised server. The vulnerability's potential for complete access to all server-accessible data means that attackers can not only read information but also modify or delete critical system components, potentially leading to service disruption, data corruption, or complete system takeover. This level of access can enable attackers to establish persistent backdoors, escalate privileges, or use the compromised server as a launching point for further attacks within the enterprise network.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including network segmentation to restrict access to WebLogic Server instances, disabling unnecessary protocols such as T3 and IIOP where possible, and applying the relevant Oracle patches as soon as they become available. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege in security architecture. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving initial access through network service exploitation and privilege escalation through compromised server access. The recommended defensive measures include implementing network firewalls to restrict T3 and IIOP traffic to trusted IP addresses, enabling strong authentication mechanisms, and conducting regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in the enterprise infrastructure.