The Looming Threat: CISA Raises Alarm Over Ongoing Attacks Exploiting Old JBoss RichFaces Vulnerability

Vulnerabilities CISA Warns of Old JBoss RichFaces Vulnerability Being Exploited in Attacks

The U.S. cybersecurity agency, CISA, has issued a warning to organizations about an old vulnerability in JBoss RichFaces that is being exploited in attacks. The vulnerability, known as CVE-2018-14667, has been added to CISA‘s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) Catalog, and federal agencies have been instructed to either apply mitigations or discontinue the use of the product by October 19.

Background: JBoss RichFaces and CVE-2018-14667

RichFaces is a project developed by Red Hat JBoss that provides a UI component framework for integrating Ajax capabilities into business applications using JSF. The project reached its end-of-life in June 2016, but it appears that the CVE-2018-14667 vulnerability was discovered in 2018 when Red Hat confirmed that several of its products were impacted and released patches.

The vulnerability, rated as ‘critical,’ is described as an expression language injection issue that allows a remote, unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code. Although proof-of-concept exploits and tools designed to exploit the flaw have been available for years, there have been no public reports of actual exploitation in the wild.

CISA‘s Response and Concerns

CISA‘s decision to add CVE-2018-14667 to its KEV catalog indicates that the agency has reliable evidence of exploitation, although no specific information about the attacks has been shared. It is unclear whether CISA is aware of active exploitation or if it recently discovered old attacks.

However, the fact that this vulnerability has been added to the catalog is a cause for concern. It suggests that there may be ongoing or renewed efforts to exploit the vulnerability, and organizations are advised to take immediate action to protect themselves.

Internet Security and the Threat Landscape

The exploitation of old vulnerabilities, such as CVE-2018-14667, highlights the ongoing challenges in internet security. Software products, even those that have reached their end-of-life, can remain in use within organizations for an extended period. This creates an opportunity for attackers to target these products, knowing that many organizations may not take immediate action to mitigate the risks.

Cybersecurity professionals and organizations must constantly stay vigilant and proactive in monitoring and patching vulnerabilities. Threat actors are known to be resourceful, adaptable, and persistent, constantly searching for weaknesses to exploit.

Editorial and Advice

The discovery of an old vulnerability being actively exploited highlights the need for organizations to maintain up-to-date security measures. It is essential that organizations regularly monitor vulnerability catalogs, such as CISA‘s KEV catalog, and promptly apply patches or implement mitigations as advised. This is particularly critical for vulnerabilities rated as ‘critical,’ as they pose a significant risk to the security and integrity of systems.

Furthermore, organizations should consider the broader implications of relying on outdated technologies. While it can be difficult and costly to transition to newer systems, continuing to use legacy software increases exposure to potential vulnerabilities and puts sensitive data at risk.

Cybersecurity is an ongoing challenge that requires constant attention and investment. Organizations should prioritize the implementation of robust security measures, regular vulnerability assessments, and proactive patch management to minimize the risk of exploitation and protect their digital assets.