CVE-2009-4776 in Cosminexus Application Server
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Hitachi Cosminexus V4 through V8, Processing Kit for XML, and Developer s Kit for Java, as used in products such as uCosminexus, Electronic Form Workflow, Groupmax, and IBM XL C/C++ Enterprise Edition 7 and 8, allows remote attackers to have an unknown impact via vectors related to the use of GIF image processing APIs by a Java application, and a different issue from CVE-2007-3794.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/01/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2009-4776 represents a critical buffer overflow condition affecting Hitachi Cosminexus products and related Java development environments. This flaw specifically manifests when Java applications utilize GIF image processing APIs within the affected software stack, creating a potential attack vector that could be exploited by remote adversaries. The vulnerability impacts multiple product lines including Hitachi Cosminexus V4 through V8, the Processing Kit for XML, and the Developer s Kit for Java, with additional exposure in IBM XL C/C++ Enterprise Edition 7 and 8. The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which categorizes buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to write beyond allocated memory boundaries, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as the buffer overflow could enable remote code execution within the context of the affected Java applications. Attackers exploiting this weakness could manipulate memory layout through malformed GIF image data processed by the vulnerable APIs, potentially leading to complete system compromise or data exfiltration. The vulnerability's relationship to CVE-2007-3794 indicates that while these are distinct issues, they share common underlying architectural weaknesses in the image processing libraries, suggesting a broader class of vulnerabilities within the Hitachi Cosminexus framework. This connection to established vulnerability patterns demonstrates how seemingly isolated buffer overflow issues can represent systemic weaknesses in software libraries that affect multiple applications and platforms.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as part of the broader ATT&CK framework's technique T1059, which covers command and control through application layer protocols, and T1203, which involves exploitation of software vulnerabilities for privilege escalation. The affected products typically operate in enterprise environments where Java applications process user-generated content, making them particularly susceptible to this type of attack. Organizations utilizing these Hitachi products should implement immediate mitigation strategies including patching affected systems, disabling unnecessary GIF processing functionality, and implementing network segmentation to limit potential attack surfaces. The vulnerability's presence in both development kits and production environments indicates that developers working with these tools may inadvertently introduce the vulnerability into applications they create, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security testing throughout the software development lifecycle.
The remediation approach should prioritize patch management for all affected Hitachi Cosminexus versions and IBM XL C/C++ Enterprise Edition releases, while also implementing defensive programming practices such as input validation and bounds checking in applications that process image data. Organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all systems utilizing the affected APIs, particularly those handling untrusted user input through GIF image processing capabilities. The technical complexity of this vulnerability requires specialized attention from security teams familiar with both Java application security and image processing library vulnerabilities, as the exploitation techniques may involve sophisticated memory corruption attacks that could bypass standard security controls.