CVE-2009-3470 in Informix Dynamic Server
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Informix Dynamic Server (IDS) 10.00 before 10.00.xC11, 11.10 before 11.10.xC4, and 11.50 before 11.50.xC5 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption, assertion failure, and daemon crash) by sending a long password over a JDBC connection.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/24/2025
IBM Informix Dynamic Server versions 10.00 through 10.00.xC11, 11.10 through 11.10.xC4, and 11.50 through 11.50.xC5 contain a critical vulnerability that enables remote attackers to execute denial of service attacks through JDBC connections. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the password handling process, specifically when processing excessively long password strings. The flaw manifests as memory corruption issues that can trigger assertion failures and ultimately cause daemon crashes, effectively rendering the database service unavailable to legitimate users. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires no authentication to exploit, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by malicious actors without prior access credentials. According to CWE classification, this represents a weakness in input validation where insufficient bounds checking allows for buffer overflow conditions that result in memory corruption. The technical implementation involves the JDBC driver failing to properly validate the length of password parameters before processing them, leading to improper memory allocation and subsequent corruption when handling extended input sequences. This vulnerability directly impacts the availability aspect of the CIA triad and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks. The operational impact extends beyond simple service disruption as database availability is crucial for business operations, potentially causing cascading failures in applications dependent on the affected database system. Organizations running these vulnerable versions face significant risk of service interruptions that can result in financial losses and reputational damage. The vulnerability's exploitation is straightforward and requires minimal technical expertise, making it attractive to threat actors seeking to disrupt business operations. Attackers can simply establish a JDBC connection and submit a password exceeding the system's expected length limits, triggering the memory corruption sequence that leads to daemon termination. This weakness is particularly concerning given that IDS is commonly deployed in enterprise environments where database availability is paramount. The vulnerability does not permit arbitrary code execution or data exfiltration, but its potential for causing widespread service disruption makes it a significant concern for organizations maintaining database infrastructure. The root cause lies in the absence of proper input sanitization and bounds checking within the JDBC connection handling code, which fails to implement defensive programming practices that would prevent such memory corruption scenarios. Organizations should immediately implement patches addressing this vulnerability as the affected versions have reached end-of-life support status, leaving no official remediation path from IBM. The lack of proper input validation represents a fundamental security flaw that could be exploited in conjunction with other attack vectors to compromise system integrity.
The vulnerability's classification under CWE-129 indicates a weakness in input validation where the system fails to properly validate the size of input data before processing it, leading to memory corruption. This weakness is particularly dangerous in database systems where connection handling is frequent and automated, as it can be triggered through legitimate connection attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under persistent threat tactics where attackers can maintain access while causing service disruption. The technical flaw involves the JDBC driver's inability to properly handle oversized password parameters, leading to stack-based buffer overflows or heap corruption that eventually causes the database daemon to crash. Organizations should implement network segmentation and connection rate limiting as immediate mitigations while applying patches. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal network access and no authentication, making it a prime candidate for automated scanning tools. Database administrators should also consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect unusual connection patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The impact extends beyond immediate service disruption to include potential data integrity concerns where daemon crashes could leave transactions in inconsistent states. Security teams should prioritize this vulnerability in their risk assessment matrices due to its ease of exploitation and potential for causing significant business disruption. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of defensive programming practices in database systems where input validation must be comprehensive and robust to prevent memory corruption attacks. Organizations should also review their database connection configurations and implement proper logging to detect potential exploitation attempts. The absence of proper bounds checking in the password handling code represents a critical design flaw that should be addressed through code review processes and security testing protocols. This vulnerability underscores the necessity of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing proper security controls in enterprise database environments.