CVE-2011-1560 in solidDB
Summary
by MITRE
solid.exe in IBM solidDB before 4.5.181, 6.0.x before 6.0.1067, 6.1.x and 6.3.x before 6.3.47, and 6.5.x before 6.5.0.3 uses a password-hash length specified by the client, which allows remote attackers to bypass authentication via a short length value.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/13/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-1560 affects IBM solidDB database software across multiple version ranges including 4.5.181, 6.0.1067, 6.3.47, and 6.5.0.3. This authentication bypass flaw resides in the solid.exe component which handles client-server communication protocols. The vulnerability stems from improper validation of password hash lengths during the authentication process, creating a critical security weakness that can be exploited remotely by attackers.
The technical flaw manifests when the solidDB server accepts and processes password hash lengths specified by client connections without proper validation or minimum length enforcement. This behavior allows malicious actors to submit intentionally short password hash values that bypass the normal authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability operates under CWE-264, which categorizes it as a privilege escalation through improper access control, specifically targeting authentication bypass scenarios where insufficient input validation leads to unauthorized system access.
Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting specially formatted client connections that specify unusually short password hash lengths during authentication attempts. This technique falls under the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation tactics, specifically targeting credential access and defense evasion methods. The remote nature of this exploit means that attackers do not require physical access to the system, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where database servers are exposed to external networks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it can lead to complete database compromise and potential data exfiltration. Organizations running affected solidDB versions face significant risk of unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion, particularly in environments where database administrators have elevated privileges. The vulnerability affects database integrity and confidentiality, potentially exposing sensitive information stored within the database systems.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches for all affected solidDB versions, implementing network segmentation to limit access to database servers, and monitoring for suspicious authentication attempts. Additionally, security teams should review and strengthen their database access controls, implement proper network firewall rules, and consider implementing intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and authentication protocol implementation in database software, emphasizing that authentication mechanisms must not rely on client-provided parameters without adequate validation.