IBM WebSphere Application Server versions 7., 8., 8.5, 9., and IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty are vulnerable to spoofing attacks when configured to communicate with the Web Server Plug-ins for IBM WebSphere Application Server. This vulnerability, identified as CVE-2022-39161, allows an authenticated user to perform a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack using a certificate issued by a trusted authority, leading to unauthorized access to sensitive information.
Vulnerability Details
The IBM WebSphere Application Server versions mentioned above, when communicating with the Web Server Plug-ins, are susceptible to spoofing attacks. This occurs because the server does not sufficiently validate the cryptographic properties of the SSL certificate used by the Web Server Plug-in, allowing an MITM attacker to use a certificate issued by a trusted authority to intercept data transmitted between the plug-in and the application server.
Reference: IBM Technote
The attacker must be an authenticated user to exploit this vulnerability and gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, potentially leading to further compromise of the affected system.
Exploit
An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could act as a man-in-the-middle, intercepting the traffic between the Web Server Plug-ins and the IBM WebSphere Application Server. To perform an MITM attack, the attacker would need a certificate issued by a trusted authority. Cryptography libraries such as OpenSSL can be used to generate SSL certificates.
For example, the attacker can generate a self-signed SSL certificate using the following OpenSSL command:
openssl req -x509 -newkey rsa:4096 -keyout key.pem -out cert.pem -days 365
This would create a private key key.pem and a self-signed certificate cert.pem. The attacker can then use these credentials to perform an MITM attack on vulnerable WebSphere Application Server instances.
Mitigation
IBM has released patches for all affected versions of WebSphere Application Server. Administrators are advised to apply these patches as soon as possible to mitigate the risk of spoofing attacks.
Additionally, organizations should enforce strong authentication mechanisms, ensure proper SSL certificate validation, and follow best practices for server security to further protect against spoofing attacks and other vulnerabilities.
Patch information can be found in the following IBM Technote: IBM Security Bulletin
Conclusion
CVE-2022-39161 is a high-risk vulnerability that affects various versions of IBM WebSphere Application Server, allowing an authenticated user to perform man-in-the-middle attacks and gain access to sensitive information. By applying the recommended patches and following best practices, administrators can protect their systems from potential exploitation.
Timeline
Published on: 05/03/2023 20:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 05/12/2023 05:15:00 UTC