CVE-2009-1291 in Enterprise Message Service
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in TIBCO SmartSockets before 6.8.2, SmartSockets Product Family (aka RTworks) before 4.0.5, and Enterprise Message Service (EMS) 4.0.0 through 5.1.1, as used in SmartSockets Server and RTworks Server (aka RTserver), SmartSockets client libraries and add-on products, RTworks libraries and components, EMS Server (aka tibemsd), SmartMQ, iProcess Engine, ActiveMatrix products, and CA Enterprise Communicator, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via "inbound data," as demonstrated by requests to the UDP interface of the RTserver component, and data injection into the TCP stream to tibemsd.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/07/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2009-1291 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow affecting multiple components within the TIBCO SmartSockets ecosystem and related messaging products. This flaw exists in versions of TIBCO SmartSockets prior to 6.8.2, SmartSockets Product Family prior to 4.0.5, and Enterprise Message Service (EMS) versions ranging from 4.0.0 through 5.1.1. The vulnerability specifically impacts SmartSockets Server and RTworks Server components, along with their respective client libraries and add-on products including SmartMQ, iProcess Engine, ActiveMatrix products, and CA Enterprise Communicator. The flaw manifests when these systems process inbound data through UDP interfaces of RTserver components or when data is injected into TCP streams of tibemsd server processes.
This buffer overflow vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and bounds checking within the network protocol handling mechanisms of these TIBCO products. The technical implementation flaw allows attackers to overflow the stack buffer by providing maliciously crafted data through network interfaces, particularly targeting UDP and TCP communication channels. The vulnerability is classified as a stack-based buffer overflow according to CWE-121, which specifically addresses situations where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent stack memory locations. The attack vector leverages the network communication protocols used by these enterprise messaging systems, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited remotely without requiring local system access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it can lead to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to enterprise messaging infrastructure. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can potentially gain arbitrary code execution privileges on affected systems, which could result in data breaches, service disruption, and unauthorized access to sensitive enterprise communications. The affected components are commonly deployed in mission-critical enterprise environments where they handle sensitive business data and facilitate critical communication between applications. The vulnerability's presence in multiple TIBCO products means that organizations with complex messaging infrastructures could face widespread impact, potentially affecting entire enterprise communication networks. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) and T1203 (Exploitation for Client Execution) techniques, as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary code remotely.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches and updates for TIBCO SmartSockets versions 6.8.2 and later, SmartSockets Product Family versions 4.0.5 and later, and EMS versions 5.1.2 and later. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to UDP and TCP ports used by affected components, particularly those running RTserver and tibemsd processes. Additionally, monitoring systems should be configured to detect anomalous network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of secure coding practices and input validation within enterprise messaging systems, emphasizing the need for regular security assessments and vulnerability management programs to prevent similar issues in other components of enterprise infrastructure.