CVE-2010-4788 in Tivoli Directory Server
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Tivoli Directory Server (TDS) 6.0 before 6.0.0.62 (aka 6.0.0.8-TIV-ITDS-IF0004) does not perform certain locking of linked-list access, which allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (daemon crash) via a paged search.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/18/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-4788 affects IBM Tivoli Directory Server version 6.0 before 6.0.0.62, representing a critical flaw in the server's handling of concurrent access operations. This issue specifically targets the directory server's implementation of linked-list data structures used during paged search operations, where proper synchronization mechanisms are absent. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-367, which addresses the improper restriction of operations within a single cross-site scripting attack, though in this case it manifests as a denial of service condition rather than a cross-site scripting issue. The flaw resides in the server's inability to properly lock linked-list access during concurrent operations, creating a race condition scenario that can be exploited by authenticated remote attackers.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an authenticated user performs a paged search operation against the Tivoli Directory Server, which triggers the improper linked-list access without adequate locking mechanisms. This lack of proper synchronization leads to memory corruption or access violations that ultimately cause the directory server daemon to crash and restart. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only authenticated access, meaning that any user with valid credentials can potentially disrupt directory services. The paged search functionality is commonly used in enterprise environments for efficiently retrieving large datasets from directory servers, making this attack vector particularly impactful. According to ATT&CK framework category T1499, this represents a denial of service attack that specifically targets network services.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-4788 extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can severely affect enterprise directory services that depend on Tivoli Directory Server for authentication and authorization functions. Organizations using this software may experience cascading failures if directory services become unavailable, affecting user access to applications, systems, and resources that rely on directory authentication. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers can exploit it from anywhere within the network perimeter, potentially causing significant business disruption. The daemon crash resulting from exploitation creates a window of service unavailability that can last from several minutes to hours depending on the server's automatic restart mechanisms. The impact is amplified in environments where TDS serves as a critical infrastructure component for identity management and access control.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems to IBM Tivoli Directory Server version 6.0.0.62 or later, which contains the necessary locking mechanisms to prevent the race condition. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to directory services and ensure that only authorized users can perform paged search operations. Monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual patterns of paged search activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification as a denial of service issue aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which involves network denial of service attacks. Additional defensive measures include implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious authentication patterns and establishing incident response procedures for rapid remediation of service disruptions. Regular security assessments of directory services should be conducted to identify similar synchronization issues in other enterprise systems that may be vulnerable to analogous race condition exploits.