CVE-2009-4240 in InfoSphere Information Server
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple buffer overflows in unspecified setuid executables in the DataStage subsystem in IBM InfoSphere Information Server 8.1 before FP1 have unknown impact and attack vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/20/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-4240 represents a critical security flaw within IBM InfoSphere Information Server 8.1 before FP1, specifically affecting the DataStage subsystem's setuid executables. This issue manifests as multiple buffer overflows that occur in privileged executables designed to run with elevated system permissions. The presence of setuid binaries in this context creates a particularly dangerous attack surface since these programs execute with the privileges of the file owner rather than the user who invoked them, potentially allowing attackers to escalate their privileges and gain unauthorized access to system resources. The vulnerability's classification as affecting unspecified setuid executables indicates that multiple components within the DataStage subsystem are susceptible to this flaw, making the attack surface broader than initially apparent.
Buffer overflow vulnerabilities in setuid applications pose severe operational risks because they can be exploited to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges. When an attacker successfully exploits these buffer overflows, they can manipulate the program's execution flow and potentially overwrite critical memory locations including return addresses, function pointers, or other control data structures. The unspecified nature of both the attack vectors and impact in the original CVE description suggests that the vulnerability could be leveraged through various input channels and might result in privilege escalation, denial of service, or data compromise. These buffer overflows typically occur when programs fail to properly validate input lengths before copying data into fixed-size buffers, creating opportunities for attackers to overflow the allocated memory space and overwrite adjacent memory regions.
The operational impact of CVE-2009-4240 extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it affects a core data integration platform that likely handles sensitive business information and enterprise data processing tasks. Organizations using IBM InfoSphere Information Server 8.1 before FP1 may face significant security risks including unauthorized access to confidential data, potential system compromise, and disruption of critical data processing operations. The vulnerability's presence in the DataStage subsystem means that attackers could potentially manipulate data integration processes, access underlying databases, or compromise the integrity of enterprise data workflows. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and may also relate to CWE-787, representing out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities, both of which are commonly exploited in privilege escalation attacks. The attack vectors could include malformed input processing, network-based exploitation, or local privilege escalation scenarios.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-4240 should prioritize immediate implementation of IBM's security fix or service pack FP1, which would contain the necessary patches to address the buffer overflow vulnerabilities in the setuid executables. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of the vulnerable system, particularly restricting access to the DataStage subsystem to trusted networks and users only. Security monitoring should focus on detecting unusual privilege escalation attempts or anomalous behavior in data processing workflows that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's nature makes it particularly susceptible to exploitation by attackers using techniques such as return-oriented programming or stack pivoting, making defensive measures like stack canaries, address space layout randomization, and non-executable stack protections valuable additional layers of defense. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches for enterprise data integration platforms, as the presence of multiple vulnerable setuid executables in a single subsystem creates a significant risk profile that can be leveraged for comprehensive system compromise. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies and regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other privileged system components. The ATT&CK framework would classify this vulnerability under privilege escalation techniques, specifically targeting the use of vulnerable setuid binaries as an initial access vector for broader system compromise.