How to remediate – Oracle WebCenter Sites Default Credentials Check

1. Introduction

Oracle WebCenter Sites Default Credentials Check identifies systems running Oracle WebCenter Sites with unchanged default account passwords. This is a serious issue because it allows unauthorised access to administrative functions on the web application server. Affected systems typically include content management servers and associated web applications. A successful attack could compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability of website data and functionality.

2. Technical Explanation

Oracle WebCenter Sites ships with pre-configured accounts that have known default usernames and passwords. Nessus detected the use of these credentials during authentication attempts. An attacker can exploit this by simply using these defaults to log in as an administrator. This requires network access to the web application port, typically 80 or 443.

• Exploit mechanism: An attacker attempts login with known default username and password combinations via the WebCenter Sites administration interface. For example, using ‘weblogic’ as a username and a common default password.
• Scope: Oracle WebCenter Sites (formerly FatWire Content Server) versions are affected. Specific vulnerable versions should be checked against vendor advisories.

3. Detection and Assessment

Confirming vulnerability involves checking if the system responds to login attempts with default credentials. A thorough assessment includes reviewing account configurations.

• Quick checks: Attempt a login using the ‘weblogic’ username with a known default password.
• Scanning: Nessus plugin ID 139785 can identify this vulnerability. Other scanners may have similar checks.
• Logs and evidence: Check WebCenter Sites application logs for successful logins from unexpected sources or IP addresses using default account names. Log file locations vary by installation, but are often in the /user_home/domains//servers//logs directory.

# No command available to directly confirm exposure without attempting login. Review logs instead.

4. Solution / Remediation Steps

The solution is to change all default passwords immediately. Follow these steps carefully.

4.1 Preparation

• Ensure you have access to the WebCenter Sites administration interface and appropriate permissions to change passwords. A roll back plan involves restoring from the pre-change backup.
• A change window may be required depending on service criticality; approval from IT management is recommended.

4.2 Implementation

1. Step 1: Log in to the WebCenter Sites administration interface using existing credentials (if possible).
2. Step 2: Navigate to the ‘Security’ or ‘User Management’ section of the administration console.
3. Step 3: Locate all accounts with default usernames, such as ‘weblogic’, ‘systemadmin’, and others listed in vendor documentation.
4. Step 4: Change the password for each account to a strong, unique value.
5. Step 5: Log out of the administration interface.

4.3 Config or Code Example

Before

# Default user configuration (example - actual config varies)
user weblogic {
  password = defaultPassword
}

After

# Updated user configuration
user weblogic {
  password = StrongUniquePassword!2345
}

4.4 Security Practices Relevant to This Vulnerability

Several security practices can help prevent this type of issue.

• Practice 1: Least privilege – limit the permissions granted to each account, reducing impact if compromised.
• Practice 2: Secure defaults – ensure all software is configured with strong passwords and non-default settings upon installation.

4.5 Automation (Optional)

No suitable automation script is provided due to the complexity of WebCenter Sites configuration management.

5. Verification / Validation

• Post-fix check: Attempt login with the ‘weblogic’ username and the *old* default password. The login should fail.
• Re-test: Re-run the Nessus scan (plugin ID 139785) to confirm that the vulnerability is no longer reported.
• Monitoring: Check WebCenter Sites application logs for failed login attempts with default usernames; this could indicate ongoing brute-force attacks.

# Attempt login using the 'weblogic' username and old default password
# Expected output: Login failure message

6. Preventive Measures and Monitoring

Update security baselines to include strong password requirements. Implement checks in deployment pipelines.

• Baselines: Update your security baseline or policy to require strong, unique passwords for all administrative accounts on web application servers.
• Asset and patch process: Implement a regular password review cycle (e.g., quarterly) for all systems.

7. Risks, Side Effects, and Roll Back

Changing passwords could disrupt existing integrations that rely on the old credentials. A roll back involves restoring from backup.

• Risk or side effect 2: Incorrect password changes can lock out administrators; ensure you have a recovery process in place.
• Roll back:
  1. Step 1: Restore the WebCenter Sites configuration from the pre-change backup.
  2. Step 2: Restart the WebCenter Sites application server.

8. References and Resources

• Vendor advisory or bulletin: Oracle Support Note 1006753.1
• NVD or CVE entry: CVE-2019-2725
• Product or platform documentation relevant to the fix: Oracle WebCenter Sites Security Guide