CVE-2014-3623: Medium severity apache wss4j vulnerability

Published Oct 27, 2014
·
Updated

Apache WSS4J as used by Apache CXF with the TransportBinding does not, by default, properly enforce all security requirements associcated with SAML SubjectConfirmation methods. Web service endpoints, secured by WSS4j, that rely on SAML for authentication are considered vulnerable to types of spoofing attacks.

Upstream Issues:

https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/WSS-510 https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/WSS-511 https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/WSS-511

Upstream Commits:

http://svn.apache.org/viewvc?view=revision&revision=1624308 http://svn.apache.org/viewvc?view=revision&revision=1624287 http://svn.apache.org/viewvc?view=revision&revision=1624262

References:

http://cxf.apache.org/security-advisories.data/CVE-2014-3623.txt.asc

Other sources

Apache WSS4J before 1.6.17 and 2.x before 2.0.2, as used in Apache CXF 2.7.x before 2.7.13 and 3.0.x before 3.0.2, when using TransportBinding, does not properly enforce the SAML SubjectConfirmation method security semantics, which allows remote attackers to conduct spoofing attacks via unspecified vectors.

MITRE

Affected Software

9 affected componentsFixes available
redhat/wss4j<1.6.17
1.6.17
redhat/wss4j<2.0.2
2.0.2
redhat/cxf<2.7.13
2.7.13
redhat/cxf<3.0.2
3.0.2
redhat/wildfly<9.0.0.
9.0.0.
Apache WSS4J<1.6.17
Apache WSS4J>=2.0.0<2.0.2
Apache CXF>=2.7.0<=2.7.13
Apache CXF>=3.0.0<3.0.2

Event History

Oct 30, 2014
CVE Published
via MITRE·02:00 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·02:00 PM
Description
Free Weekly Intel

Don't miss critical vulnerabilities

Join thousands of security professionals who receive our weekly digest of trending CVEs, zero-days, and exploited vulnerabilities.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2014-3623?

CVE-2014-3623 is considered a moderate to high severity vulnerability due to its impact on authentication mechanisms in secured web service endpoints.

2

How do I fix CVE-2014-3623?

To remediate CVE-2014-3623, upgrade Apache WSS4J to versions 1.6.17 or 2.0.2, or Apache CXF to versions 2.7.13 or 3.0.2.

3

What types of applications are affected by CVE-2014-3623?

Applications using Apache WSS4J with the TransportBinding configuration for SAML authentication may be affected by CVE-2014-3623.

4

What could happen if CVE-2014-3623 is exploited?

Exploitation of CVE-2014-3623 may allow attackers to spoof identities and gain unauthorized access to protected web service endpoints.

5

Is CVE-2014-3623 a known issue in specific versions of software?

Yes, CVE-2014-3623 affects certain versions of Apache WSS4J, Apache CXF, and WildFly as outlined in the vulnerability description.

Contact

SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
132 Wickham Terrace
Fortitude Valley,
QLD 4006, Australia
info@secalerts.co
By using SecAlerts services, you agree to our services end-user license agreement. This website is safeguarded by reCAPTCHA and governed by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. All names, logos, and brands of products are owned by their respective owners, and any usage of these names, logos, and brands for identification purposes only does not imply endorsement. If you possess any content that requires removal, please get in touch with us.
© 2026 SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
ABN: 70 645 966 203, ACN: 645 966 203