CVE-2008-0699 in DB2 Universal Database
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the ADMIN_SP_C procedure (SYSPROC.ADMIN_SP_C) in IBM DB2 UDB before 8.2 Fixpak 16, 9.1 before FP4a, and 9.5 before FP1 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary code via unspecified attack vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/05/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-0699 represents a critical security flaw within IBM DB2 Universal Database's administrative stored procedure mechanism. This issue affects multiple versions of IBM DB2 including the 8.2 series prior to Fixpak 16, 9.1 series before FP4a, and 9.5 series before FP1. The vulnerability resides within the ADMIN_SP_C procedure located in the SYSPROC schema, which serves as a critical administrative interface for database management operations. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests that multiple code execution pathways exist within this administrative procedure, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it could be exploited through various means depending on the specific DB2 version and configuration.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate input validation and privilege escalation mechanisms within the ADMIN_SP_C stored procedure. When authenticated users execute administrative commands through this procedure, the system fails to properly sanitize input parameters, creating opportunities for malicious input to be interpreted as executable code. This vulnerability operates at the database level and leverages the elevated privileges associated with administrative procedures, allowing attackers who have already established authentication credentials to potentially escalate their privileges and execute arbitrary code on the database server. The flaw essentially enables authenticated users to bypass normal security controls and gain unauthorized code execution capabilities, making it particularly dangerous in environments where database administrators have broad system access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it represents a fundamental breach in database security architecture. Remote authenticated users can exploit this weakness to perform actions ranging from data manipulation and unauthorized access to potential system compromise and lateral movement within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects database administrators and applications that rely on administrative stored procedures for database management tasks, potentially exposing sensitive data and critical business information. Organizations using affected DB2 versions face significant risk of unauthorized access and potential data breaches, as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gain deeper system access than initially intended. The impact is particularly severe in enterprise environments where database servers often contain critical business data and where administrative procedures are frequently used for system maintenance and configuration changes.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-0699 primarily involve applying the appropriate IBM security fixes and patches for the affected DB2 versions. Organizations should immediately upgrade to the patched versions of IBM DB2, specifically targeting Fixpak 16 for 8.2, FP4a for 9.1, and FP1 for 9.5. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and access controls can help limit exposure by restricting access to administrative procedures and database servers. Database administrators should also conduct thorough security reviews of existing stored procedures and implement principle of least privilege configurations to minimize the impact of potential exploitation. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-74 and CWE-78 categories, representing code injection vulnerabilities that allow execution of arbitrary code through improper input handling. From an ATT&CK perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and execution of malicious code through legitimate system tools, making it a significant concern for organizations following MITRE ATT&CK framework methodologies for threat analysis and defense planning.