CVE-2024-9329 in Glassfish
Summary
by MITRE • 09/30/2024
In Eclipse Glassfish versions before 7.0.17, The Host HTTP parameter could cause the web application to redirect to the specified URL, when the requested endpoint is '/management/domain'. By modifying the URL value to a malicious site, an attacker may successfully launch a phishing scam and steal user credentials.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/07/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-9329 represents a critical security flaw in Eclipse Glassfish web application server versions prior to 7.0.17. This issue manifests through improper input validation within the Host HTTP parameter handling mechanism, specifically when processing requests to the '/management/domain' endpoint. The flaw allows attackers to manipulate the Host parameter in a way that triggers unintended redirection behavior, potentially leading to sophisticated social engineering attacks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate sanitization of user-supplied input parameters within the Glassfish management interface. When a request is made to the '/management/domain' endpoint with a manipulated Host parameter, the server fails to properly validate or escape the input before using it in redirection logic. This creates an opportunity for attackers to inject malicious URLs that will be executed within the context of legitimate Glassfish management sessions. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically affects the HTTP request processing pipeline where parameter validation should occur before any redirection decisions are made.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risk to organizations utilizing Eclipse Glassfish servers, particularly those with exposed management interfaces. The ability to redirect users to malicious sites during management operations enables attackers to conduct credential harvesting phishing campaigns with high success rates, as users are more likely to trust legitimate management interfaces. The impact extends beyond simple information theft to potential system compromise, as stolen credentials could provide attackers with administrative access to the Glassfish server and underlying applications. This vulnerability directly relates to CWE-601 and CWE-79, representing URL redirection flaws and cross-site scripting vulnerabilities respectively.
The attack vector for CVE-2024-9329 typically involves an attacker crafting malicious URLs with specifically formatted Host parameters that will be processed by the vulnerable Glassfish server. When administrators access the management interface, they may inadvertently be redirected to attacker-controlled sites designed to capture login credentials. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates silently in the background, making detection difficult for security monitoring systems. Organizations should consider implementing network-level protections such as web application firewalls and DNS filtering to mitigate potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, the remediation strategy involves upgrading to Glassfish version 7.0.17 or later, which includes proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms. Security teams should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of all Glassfish installations and implement monitoring for unusual redirection patterns in web server logs, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1566 for credential harvesting and T1071 for application layer protocol usage.
The broader implications of this vulnerability highlight the importance of proper input validation in web application security architectures. Organizations should adopt defense-in-depth strategies that include regular security assessments, application security testing, and comprehensive monitoring of web application behavior. The vulnerability demonstrates how seemingly minor input handling issues can create significant security risks in management interfaces that are frequently targeted by attackers.