CVE-2008-7288 in Tivoli Directory Server
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Tivoli Directory Server (TDS) 5.2 before 5.2.0.5-TIV-ITDS-LA0007 on AIX allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (server destabilization) via an anonymous DIGEST-MD5 LDAP Bind operation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/10/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-7288 affects IBM Tivoli Directory Server version 5.2 before 5.2.0.5-TIV-ITDS-LA0007 running on AIX operating systems. This security flaw represents a significant concern for organizations relying on directory services for authentication and access control. The vulnerability specifically targets the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol implementation within the Tivoli Directory Server, creating a potential avenue for malicious actors to disrupt critical directory services. The issue manifests through an anonymous DIGEST-MD5 LDAP Bind operation, which is a standard authentication mechanism used to establish secure connections to directory servers. When exploited, this vulnerability can lead to complete server destabilization, effectively rendering directory services unavailable to legitimate users and applications that depend on them for authentication and authorization functions.
The technical flaw resides in the improper handling of anonymous DIGEST-MD5 LDAP Bind operations within the Tivoli Directory Server implementation. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and error handling mechanisms that fail to properly process malformed or unexpected parameters during the authentication process. When an attacker sends a specially crafted anonymous bind request using the DIGEST-MD5 mechanism, the server's processing logic becomes unstable and eventually crashes or becomes unresponsive. This behavior aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflow conditions. The DIGEST-MD5 mechanism itself is a well-established authentication method designed to provide secure authentication without transmitting passwords in clear text, but the implementation in this specific version of Tivoli Directory Server contains a critical flaw that allows attackers to exploit the authentication handler.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the entire directory infrastructure. Organizations using affected Tivoli Directory Server versions face the risk of unauthorized denial of service attacks that can render their authentication systems completely inoperative. This disruption affects not only user access to directory services but also applications and systems that depend on these services for authentication, potentially cascading into broader system failures. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it allows remote attackers to cause destabilization without requiring any prior authentication credentials, making it accessible to anyone with network access to the server. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability provides a straightforward path to service disruption that can be executed from external networks, making it an attractive target for malicious actors seeking to compromise system availability. The impact on business operations can be severe, as directory services often serve as foundational components for enterprise authentication, authorization, and identity management systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-7288 primarily focus on applying the official IBM security patch version 5.2.0.5-TIV-ITDS-LA0007, which addresses the underlying implementation flaw in the DIGEST-MD5 authentication handler. Organizations should also consider implementing network-level controls such as firewall rules that restrict access to LDAP ports to only trusted network segments, thereby limiting the attack surface. Additionally, monitoring and logging of LDAP bind operations can help detect anomalous authentication attempts that may indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should implement intrusion detection systems that can identify patterns associated with the specific attack vectors targeting this vulnerability. From a defensive standpoint, organizations should consider implementing redundant directory services or failover mechanisms to ensure continued availability even if one directory server is compromised. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches across all directory services and implementing robust vulnerability management processes. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1499.004 for Network Denial of Service and T1566.001 for Pre-Attack Network Infrastructure Compromise, demonstrating how the exploitation of this flaw can lead to broader operational impacts within enterprise environments. Organizations should also review their incident response procedures to ensure they can effectively respond to denial of service attacks targeting directory services, as these incidents can have cascading effects throughout the enterprise infrastructure.