CVE-2010-4604 in Tivoli Storage Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in the GeneratePassword function in dsmtca (aka the Trusted Communications Agent or TCA) in the backup-archive client in IBM Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM) 5.3.x before 5.3.6.10, 5.4.x before 5.4.3.4, 5.5.x before 5.5.2.10, and 6.1.x before 6.1.3.1 on Unix and Linux allows local users to gain privileges by specifying a long LANG environment variable, and then sending a request over a pipe.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/29/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-4604 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw within IBM Tivoli Storage Manager's Trusted Communications Agent component. This issue affects multiple versions of the TSM backup-archive client across Unix and Linux platforms, specifically targeting the GeneratePassword function in dsmtca. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation when processing the LANG environment variable, creating a condition where maliciously crafted input can overwrite adjacent memory locations on the stack. The flaw is particularly concerning because it operates with local privilege escalation capabilities, allowing attackers who can manipulate environment variables to potentially execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges. The vulnerability's exploitation requires a local user to set a long LANG environment variable and subsequently send a request through a pipe mechanism, which triggers the buffer overflow during the password generation process.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite stack data. The Trusted Communications Agent serves as a critical component for secure communication between backup clients and servers, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous for enterprise environments. The attack vector leverages the pipe communication mechanism, which is commonly used in Unix-like systems for inter-process communication and command execution. When the GeneratePassword function processes the oversized LANG variable, the function fails to properly validate the input length before copying it into a fixed-size stack buffer, resulting in memory corruption that can be exploited to overwrite return addresses and function pointers. This type of vulnerability falls under the ATT&CK technique T1068, which involves exploiting legitimate credentials and system privileges to gain elevated access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it can potentially compromise the integrity of backup operations and data security within enterprise storage environments. Organizations using affected versions of IBM Tivoli Storage Manager face risks of unauthorized access to backup data, potential data exfiltration, and disruption of backup operations. The vulnerability affects a wide range of TSM versions, including 5.3.x through 6.1.x, indicating a prolonged period of exposure across multiple product releases. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability without requiring network access or authentication, making it particularly dangerous in environments where local system access is possible. The specific nature of the attack requires the attacker to have local access to the system and the ability to manipulate environment variables, which may be feasible in shared hosting environments or when users have shell access. The vulnerability's exploitation could lead to complete system compromise, as the attacker could potentially execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the TSM client process, which typically runs with elevated permissions due to its role in managing backup operations.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches and updates, which address the buffer overflow by implementing proper input validation for environment variables. System administrators should also consider implementing environment variable restrictions to limit the potential for exploitation, particularly by monitoring or restricting the LANG environment variable in backup client processes. Additional defensive measures include conducting privilege reviews to ensure that backup client processes run with minimal required permissions, implementing network segmentation to limit local access to backup systems, and monitoring for unusual pipe communication patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of input validation in security-critical components and demonstrates how seemingly benign environment variables can become attack vectors when proper bounds checking is not implemented. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other components of the TSM suite and related enterprise backup systems. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify attempts to exploit buffer overflow vulnerabilities through environment variable manipulation.