CVE-2010-4785 in Tivoli Directory Server
Summary
by MITRE
The do_extendedOp function in ibmslapd in IBM Tivoli Directory Server (TDS) 6.0 before 6.0.0.62 (aka 6.0.0.8-TIV-ITDS-IF0004) on Linux, Solaris, and Windows allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (ABEND) via a malformed LDAP extended operation that triggers certain comparisons involving the NULL operation OID.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/10/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-4785 affects IBM Tivoli Directory Server version 6.0 before 6.0.0.62, specifically targeting the ibmslapd component that handles LDAP operations. This issue represents a critical denial of service flaw that can be exploited by remote authenticated users to crash the directory server service. The vulnerability manifests within the do_extendedOp function which processes LDAP extended operations, making it a core component of the directory server's functionality that directly impacts system availability. The affected platforms include Linux, Solaris, and Windows operating systems, indicating a widespread impact across multiple server environments where IBM Tivoli Directory Server is deployed.
The technical flaw resides in how the do_extendedOp function handles malformed LDAP extended operations that contain NULL operation OIDs. When such malformed operations are processed, the function fails to properly validate or handle the NULL OID comparisons, leading to an abnormal program termination or ABEND condition. This represents a classic buffer overflow or improper input validation vulnerability where the server does not adequately sanitize the operation OID parameter before proceeding with comparisons. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only authenticated access to exploit, meaning that any user with valid credentials can potentially disrupt service availability. This flaw falls under CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-20, which covers improper input validation scenarios.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption as it can lead to complete unavailability of directory services for authenticated users and applications that depend on the directory server for authentication and authorization. When the server crashes due to the ABEND condition, all ongoing LDAP operations cease, potentially affecting thousands of users and applications that rely on directory services for identity management. The attack vector requires only remote authenticated access, making it particularly dangerous in environments where user accounts might be compromised or where legitimate users could inadvertently trigger the vulnerability. This type of denial of service attack aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks, and can significantly impact business continuity and service availability.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately apply the vendor-provided patch or update to IBM Tivoli Directory Server 6.0.0.62 or later versions. The patch addresses the input validation issue in the do_extendedOp function by properly handling NULL operation OIDs and ensuring that malformed extended operations do not cause abnormal program termination. System administrators should also implement monitoring for unusual LDAP traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts and consider implementing additional access controls or network segmentation to limit the impact if exploitation occurs. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other directory services or LDAP implementations within the organization's infrastructure.