CVE-2007-6052 in DB2 Universal Database
Summary
by MITRE
IBM DB2 UDB 9.1 before Fixpak 4 does not properly perform vector aggregation, which might allow attackers to cause a denial of service (divide-by-zero error and DBMS crash), related to an "overflow." NOTE: the vendor description of this issue is too vague to be certain that it is security-related.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/01/2019
IBM DB2 Universal Database version 9.1 prior to Fixpak 4 contains a critical vulnerability in its vector aggregation implementation that can lead to unauthorized denial of service conditions. This flaw exists within the database management system's handling of mathematical operations involving vector data structures, where improper boundary checking and overflow conditions create opportunities for malicious exploitation. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the system processes certain aggregate functions that involve vector operations, potentially triggering divide-by-zero exceptions that cause the database engine to terminate unexpectedly. The technical implementation error stems from insufficient validation of input parameters during vector mathematical computations, allowing attackers to craft malicious queries that exploit these weaknesses. This issue falls under the category of improper input validation and can be classified as a software error that leads to system instability. The vulnerability represents a significant risk to database availability as it can be triggered through standard database query operations without requiring elevated privileges. According to CWE classification, this corresponds to CWE-129 Input Validation and CWE-682 Incorrect Calculation, both of which are fundamental security concerns in database systems. The operational impact extends beyond simple service disruption as database administrators may face challenges in maintaining system uptime and data availability during exploitation attempts. Organizations running affected versions of DB2 UDB 9.1 should prioritize immediate patching to address this vulnerability. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a Denial of Service attack vector under the technique of System Service Exhaustion, where the database engine becomes unavailable due to improper error handling. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation in database systems, as even seemingly benign mathematical operations can become security risks when not properly constrained. The lack of clear vendor documentation regarding the security implications of this issue highlights the need for comprehensive testing and monitoring of database systems. Database administrators should implement monitoring solutions to detect unusual query patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while also ensuring that all database components are kept current with the latest security fixes. The root cause analysis reveals that this issue stems from inadequate boundary checking in the vector aggregation algorithms, where the system fails to properly handle edge cases that result in mathematical overflow conditions. This particular vulnerability underscores the importance of robust error handling mechanisms in database engines, as proper exception management can prevent cascading failures that lead to complete system crashes. Organizations should consider implementing database firewalls or query filtering mechanisms as additional defensive measures to mitigate potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also demonstrates how mathematical operations in database systems can become attack surfaces when not properly secured through input validation and boundary checking. Security teams should conduct thorough assessments of their database environments to identify systems running vulnerable versions of DB2 UDB 9.1 and implement appropriate remediation strategies. The fixpak 4 release specifically addresses these vector aggregation issues by implementing proper overflow handling and input validation mechanisms, ensuring that mathematical operations within the database engine do not result in system crashes or unexpected termination conditions. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical need for continuous security assessment and patch management in enterprise database environments.