RHSA-2012:0039 - Security Advisory

Topic

An updated mod_cluster-native package that fixes one security issue is now
available for JBoss Enterprise Web Platform 5.1.2 for Red Hat Enterprise
Linux 4, 5, and 6.

The Red Hat Security Response Team has rated this update as having
important security impact. A Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS)
base score, which gives a detailed severity rating, is available from the
CVE link in the References section.

Description

mod_cluster-native provides a native build of mod_cluster for the Apache
HTTP Server (httpd). mod_cluster is an httpd-based load balancer. Like
mod_jk, it uses a communication channel to forward requests from httpd to
an application server node.

It was found that mod_cluster allowed worker nodes to register on any
virtual host (vhost), regardless of the security constraints applied to
other vhosts. In a typical environment, there will be one vhost configured
internally for worker nodes, and another configured externally for serving
content. A remote attacker could use this flaw to register an
attacker-controlled worker node via an external vhost that is not
configured to apply security constraints, then use that worker node to
serve malicious content, intercept credentials, and hijack user sessions.
(CVE-2011-4608)

Users of mod_cluster-native should upgrade to this updated package, which
contains a backported patch to resolve this issue. Refer to the Solution
section for installation instructions.

Solution

Before applying this update, make sure all previously-released errata
relevant to your system have been applied.

This update is available via the Red Hat Network. Details on how to
use the Red Hat Network to apply this update are available at
https://access.redhat.com/kb/docs/DOC-11259

To apply this update:

1) Install the updated mod_cluster-native package on the JBoss
Enterprise Web Platform worker node.

2) Copy the Apache HTTP Server modules provided by the updated package
to your JBoss Enterprise Web Server front-end.

3) Restart the Apache HTTP Server on your JBoss Enterprise Web Server
front-end.

Refer to the "Install proxy server components" section of the HTTP
Connectors Load Balancing Guide for JBoss Enterprise Application
Platform 5, available from docs.redhat.com, for further information
(JBoss Enterprise Web Platform is a subset of JBoss Enterprise
Application Platform).

Affected Products

• JBoss Enterprise Web Platform 5 for RHEL 6 x86_64
• JBoss Enterprise Web Platform 5 for RHEL 6 i386
• JBoss Enterprise Web Platform 5 for RHEL 5 x86_64
• JBoss Enterprise Web Platform 5 for RHEL 5 i386

Fixes

• BZ - 767020 - CVE-2011-4608 mod_cluster: malicious worker nodes can register on any vhost

CVEs

• CVE-2011-4608

References

• https://access.redhat.com/security/updates/classification/#important
• http://docs.redhat.com/docs/en-US/index.html