CVE-2007-5612 in Director
Summary
by MITRE
CIM Server in IBM Director 5.20.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption, connection slot exhaustion, and daemon crash) via a large number of idle connections.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/28/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-5612 affects the CIM Server component within IBM Director 5.20.1 and earlier versions, representing a significant security weakness that enables remote attackers to execute denial of service attacks. This flaw specifically targets the server's handling of network connections, creating a scenario where malicious actors can exploit the system's connection management mechanisms to disrupt normal operations. The vulnerability falls under the category of resource exhaustion attacks, where the attacker leverages the server's inability to properly manage idle connections to consume system resources and ultimately cause service disruption.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate connection handling within the CIM Server's network stack. When numerous idle connections are established and maintained without proper timeout mechanisms or resource cleanup procedures, the server's available connection slots become exhausted. This occurs because the system fails to implement effective connection lifecycle management, allowing attackers to establish a large number of connections that remain idle but consume valuable system resources. The flaw is particularly dangerous because it affects the fundamental network service operation, making it difficult to distinguish between legitimate and malicious connection attempts. This type of vulnerability is categorized under CWE-400 as "Uncontrolled Resource Consumption" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.100 for "Network Denial of Service" within the context of resource exhaustion attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass broader system reliability issues. When attackers exploit this weakness, they can cause sustained CPU consumption as the system continuously processes and maintains idle connection states. Additionally, the daemon responsible for the CIM Server functionality may crash entirely, requiring manual intervention and system restarts to restore normal operations. Connection slot exhaustion represents a particularly insidious aspect of this vulnerability because it can persist even after the initial attack has ended, leaving the system in a degraded state where legitimate users cannot establish new connections. The cumulative effect of these issues can severely impact enterprise environments where IBM Director is used for system management and monitoring, potentially creating cascading failures that affect multiple managed systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-5612 should focus on implementing proper connection management policies and system hardening measures. Organizations should immediately upgrade to IBM Director versions that address this vulnerability, as IBM likely released patches or updates to resolve the connection handling issues. Network administrators should implement connection timeouts and limits to prevent the accumulation of idle connections, while also monitoring system resources for unusual consumption patterns. The implementation of intrusion detection systems can help identify and alert on suspicious connection patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, access controls should be strengthened to limit who can establish connections to the CIM Server, reducing the attack surface available to potential adversaries. System monitoring should include tracking connection counts and CPU usage to provide early warning of potential exploitation attempts, while maintaining detailed logs of connection attempts for forensic analysis purposes.