External risk intelligence

ForgeRock Access Management Remote Code Execution.

CVE advisoryKnown Exploit

CVE-2021-35464

A Java deserialization vulnerability affects ForgeRock Access Management and OpenAM. Exploitation allows unauthenticated remote attackers to execute code, potentially leading to unauthorized access and business disruption. This presents a significant risk due to the ease of exploitation and potential impact on affected

5Halo Surface Signal

Deserialization

Forgerock Access Management

before 6.5.49.0.0 to before 14.6.3

External exposure likelihood

Halo Surface Signal score for CVE-2021-35464

ForgeRock Access Management (AM) is an identity and access management platform. Such systems are designed to be public-facing or reside at the network edge to provide authentication and access control services for users and applications, making them inherently exposed to the internet in common deployments.

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

ForgeRock Access Management (AM) and OpenAM products contain a Java deserialization vulnerability. This flaw allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the server. The potential impact includes unauthorized access to sensitive data and disruption of critical business operations.

  • Vulnerable ForgeRock AM and OpenAM
  • Java deserialization flaw
  • Remote code execution capability

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

ForgeRock Access Management servers are exposed to the internet, allowing attackers to initiate a remote code execution attack. This vulnerability can be exploited without authentication by sending a specially crafted request. The attacker can then gain control of the affected system.

  • Exposure condition: Publicly accessible server.
  • Attacker starting point: Remote network.
  • Trigger and result: Crafted request causes code execution.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

This vulnerability presents a significant risk due to its ease of exploitation and potential for severe impact. Attackers with moderate technical skills can leverage this flaw to gain unauthorized access and execute malicious code on affected systems. The ability to exploit this remotely without authentication means that external attackers can target vulnerable organizations.

  • Attackers need network access.
  • Remote code execution is possible.
  • Urgent patching is recommended.

Priority actions

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

The organization faces a critical risk from a Java deserialization vulnerability in ForgeRock Access Management servers. This vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code remotely by sending a crafted network request. This could lead to a complete compromise of affected systems and sensitive data.

  • Identify ForgeRock Access Management systems.
  • Restrict network access to these systems.
  • Apply vendor updates and verify.
  • Monitor for related malicious activity.

Frequently asked questions

What is ForgeRock Access Management and what is it used for?

ForgeRock Access Management (AM), also known as OpenAM, is a platform for managing digital identities and controlling access to applications and data. It's used to authenticate users and authorize their access, essentially acting as a gatekeeper for your digital resources.

What kind of vulnerability is CVE-2021-35464 in ForgeRock AM?

CVE-2021-35464 is a Java deserialization vulnerability. This means that the software incorrectly processes specially crafted data, allowing an attacker to potentially run their own code on the server.

How can an attacker exploit this ForgeRock AM vulnerability?

An attacker can exploit this by sending a specific, crafted HTTP request to certain pages on the ForgeRock AM server. This exploit does not require the attacker to be logged in or authenticated first.

Who should be concerned about this ForgeRock vulnerability?

Organizations using ForgeRock Access Management or OpenAM should be concerned. Given that these systems are often internet-facing to manage user access, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to external security. [cite: Halo Surface Signal]

What is the first step to address this ForgeRock vulnerability?

The primary first step is to identify all ForgeRock Access Management or OpenAM systems within your environment and apply the relevant updates provided by ForgeRock to fix the vulnerability.

References