CVE-2017-8039 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

Pivotal Spring Web Flow up to version 2.4.5 is affected by a Data Binding Expression Vulnerability that can be exploited by malicious EL expressions in view states.

Understanding CVE-2017-8039

This CVE involves a security issue in Pivotal Spring Web Flow that can lead to potential vulnerabilities in applications.

What is CVE-2017-8039?

CVE-2017-8039 is a vulnerability in Pivotal Spring Web Flow versions up to 2.4.5 that can be exploited by malicious EL expressions in view states.

The Impact of CVE-2017-8039

The vulnerability allows attackers to execute malicious EL expressions in view states, potentially compromising the security of applications that do not modify certain properties.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-8039

This section provides more technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The issue arises in applications that do not change the MvcViewFactoryCreator useSpringBinding property, leaving them susceptible to malicious EL expressions in view states.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Spring Web Flow 2.4.0 to 2.4.5 and older unsupported versions

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit the vulnerability by injecting malicious EL expressions in view states that handle form submissions without explicit data binding property mappings.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2017-8039 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Modify the useSpringBinding property of the MvcViewFactoryCreator to prevent exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch the affected systems to mitigate potential risks.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches provided by Pivotal to address the vulnerability and enhance system security.