CVE-2009-1905 in DB2
Summary
by MITRE
The Common Code Infrastructure component in IBM DB2 8 before FP17, 9.1 before FP7, and 9.5 before FP4, when LDAP security (aka IBMLDAPauthserver) and anonymous bind are enabled, allows remote attackers to bypass password authentication and establish a database connection via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/05/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-1905 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw within IBM DB2 database systems that affects multiple versions including DB2 8 before fix pack 17, 9.1 before fix pack 7, and 9.5 before fix pack 4. This security weakness specifically targets the Common Code Infrastructure component and leverages LDAP security mechanisms combined with anonymous bind functionality to create a pathway for unauthorized access. The flaw operates at the authentication layer where legitimate password verification processes can be circumvented, allowing attackers to establish database connections without proper credentials.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of LDAP authentication when anonymous bind is enabled within the IBM DB2 environment. When both LDAP security features and anonymous bind capabilities are active simultaneously, the system fails to properly validate authentication requests, creating a condition where unauthorized users can exploit the configuration to gain database access. This represents a fundamental flaw in the authentication flow control mechanism that should have enforced strict credential validation regardless of LDAP configuration settings. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the description indicate that the attack can be executed through various means that exploit the underlying authentication bypass mechanism.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it fundamentally compromises database security by allowing remote attackers to bypass password protection entirely. Organizations running affected DB2 versions with LDAP security enabled and anonymous bind activated face significant risk of unauthorized data access, potential data breaches, and system compromise. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors can exploit this weakness from outside the network perimeter without requiring local system access or legitimate credentials. This vulnerability directly impacts the principle of least privilege and can lead to complete database compromise, potentially exposing sensitive organizational data to unauthorized parties.
Security mitigation for this vulnerability requires immediate application of the vendor-provided fix packs for each affected DB2 version. Organizations should also consider disabling anonymous bind functionality when LDAP security is enabled, as this combination creates the exploitable condition. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure, while monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual authentication patterns. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues, and it maps to attack techniques in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under credential access and privilege escalation categories. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper authentication configuration management and the need for regular security updates to protect enterprise database infrastructure from known exploitation vectors.