CVE-2010-3760 in Tivoli Storage Manager Fastback
Summary
by MITRE
FastBackMount.exe in the Mount service in IBM Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM) FastBack 5.5.0.0 through 5.5.6.0 and 6.1.0.0 through 6.1.0.1 does not properly handle a certain failure to allocate memory, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and daemon crash, and recovery failure) by specifying a large size value within TCP packet data. NOTE: this might overlap CVE-2010-3061.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/19/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-3760 affects IBM Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack versions 5.5.0.0 through 5.5.6.0 and 6.1.0.0 through 6.1.0.1, specifically within the FastBackMount.exe component of the Mount service. This issue represents a critical memory management flaw that manifests when the system encounters a failure to allocate memory during TCP packet processing. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of network protocol handling and memory allocation mechanisms, creating a pathway for remote exploitation that can severely disrupt storage operations.
The technical flaw stems from improper error handling within the memory allocation process of FastBackMount.exe, which fails to adequately validate or manage memory resources when processing TCP packet data containing oversized size values. This particular weakness allows attackers to craft malicious TCP packets with deliberately large size parameters that trigger a NULL pointer dereference condition within the Mount service daemon. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-476 which addresses NULL pointer dereference issues, and it demonstrates how improper memory management can lead to system instability. The daemon crash that results from this condition creates cascading failures that extend beyond simple service disruption to include complete recovery system failures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple denial of service, as it affects the core functionality of storage management operations within enterprise environments. When the Mount service daemon crashes, it prevents legitimate storage operations from completing successfully, potentially leading to data loss scenarios or extended downtime for critical storage infrastructure. The recovery failure component means that even after the initial crash is addressed, the system may be unable to restore normal operations, requiring manual intervention and potentially extensive recovery procedures. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations relying on automated backup and recovery processes, as the disruption can cascade through entire storage ecosystems.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to limit access to FastBack services, firewall rules to restrict TCP packet sizes, and application-level filtering to prevent malformed packet processing. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1499 which covers network denial of service attacks, while also mapping to T1566 for credential access and T1071 for application layer protocols. System administrators should consider upgrading to patched versions of IBM Tivoli Storage Manager FastBack, implementing intrusion detection systems to monitor for anomalous TCP packet patterns, and establishing robust backup and recovery procedures that can withstand potential service disruptions. Additionally, network monitoring tools should be configured to detect and alert on unusual packet size variations that might indicate exploitation attempts against this vulnerability.