CVE-2010-4807 in Web Content Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Race condition in IBM Web Content Manager (WCM) 7.0.0.1 before CF003 allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (infinite recursive query) via unspecified vectors, related to a StackOverflowError exception.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/22/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-4807 represents a critical race condition flaw within IBM Web Content Manager version 7.0.0.1 before cumulative fix CF003. This issue affects the content management system's handling of recursive query operations and manifests as an infinite recursive query mechanism that can be exploited by remote authenticated users to trigger a denial of service condition. The vulnerability specifically targets the system's stack management and exception handling capabilities, creating a scenario where the application's call stack becomes overwhelmed through recursive processing loops. The flaw exists in the underlying architecture's inability to properly terminate recursive operations, leading to a StackOverflowError exception that ultimately results in system unresponsiveness and service disruption.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and control flow management within the WCM's query processing engine. When authenticated users submit specific requests that trigger recursive database queries or content retrieval operations, the system fails to implement proper recursion depth limits or termination conditions. This race condition occurs during the processing of content management operations where the system's internal state becomes inconsistent, allowing maliciously crafted requests to initiate infinite loops in the query execution path. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only authenticated access, meaning that users with legitimate credentials can exploit this flaw to disrupt service availability. The StackOverflowError exception represents the system's failure to handle the excessive recursive calls gracefully, causing the application to crash or become unresponsive.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-4807 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the overall availability and reliability of content management operations within affected environments. Organizations utilizing IBM Web Content Manager 7.0.0.1 before CF003 face significant risks of unauthorized denial of service attacks that can affect content publishing workflows, user access to managed content, and overall system performance. The vulnerability can be particularly damaging in high-traffic environments where content managers rely on continuous availability of the WCM system for business operations. Attackers can leverage this flaw to systematically disrupt content delivery services, potentially causing cascading effects throughout connected applications that depend on the content management infrastructure. The recursive nature of the attack makes detection and mitigation challenging, as the system may appear to be functioning normally while silently processing infinite loops that consume system resources.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the cumulative fix CF003 released by IBM to address this vulnerability. The fix addresses the underlying race condition by implementing proper recursion depth controls and enhanced input validation mechanisms within the query processing components. Security administrators should also consider implementing network-level controls such as rate limiting and access controls to restrict the number of concurrent authenticated requests that can trigger recursive operations. Additionally, monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual patterns in query execution times and stack usage that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-367, which addresses the improper restriction of operations within a single software system, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks. Organizations should also review their access control policies and ensure that only necessary users have the privileges required to trigger content management operations that could lead to recursive query execution. The implementation of proper logging and alerting mechanisms will help detect potential exploitation attempts and provide evidence for forensic analysis if incidents occur.