CVE-2012-2180 in DB2
Summary
by MITRE
The chaining functionality in the Distributed Relational Database Architecture (DRDA) module in IBM DB2 9.7 before FP6 and 9.8 before FP5 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference, and resource consumption or daemon crash) via a crafted request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/04/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-2180 resides within IBM DB2's Distributed Relational Database Architecture module, specifically targeting the chaining functionality that enables communication between database servers and clients. This weakness affects IBM DB2 versions 9.7 prior to fix pack 6 and 9.8 prior to fix pack 5, representing a critical security flaw that could severely impact database availability and system stability. The vulnerability operates through a carefully crafted request that exploits the DRDA protocol's handling of chained requests, creating conditions that lead to system instability and potential service disruption. The attack vector is entirely remote, meaning malicious actors can exploit this weakness without requiring physical access or local system privileges, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where database servers are accessible to external networks.
The technical flaw manifests as a NULL pointer dereference condition within the DRDA module's request processing logic. When a maliciously crafted request is received, the system attempts to dereference a null pointer during the chaining operation, resulting in an immediate system crash or daemon termination. This vulnerability operates at the protocol level within the database communication stack, specifically targeting the way the DRDA implementation handles multiple requests chained together in a single communication session. The flaw can also cause excessive resource consumption, as the system's memory management becomes corrupted during the processing of malformed requests, leading to progressive degradation of system performance and ultimately complete service unavailability. The underlying issue stems from inadequate input validation and error handling within the DRDA chaining mechanism, where the system fails to properly validate the structure and content of chained requests before attempting to process them.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-2180 extends beyond simple denial of service, as it represents a significant threat to database availability and business continuity. Organizations running affected IBM DB2 versions face the risk of unauthorized service disruption that could result in extended downtime, data access limitations, and potential financial losses. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can target database servers from anywhere on the network, making traditional network segmentation and firewall rules insufficient protection against this threat. Systems that rely heavily on database connectivity for business operations, including financial services, healthcare providers, and e-commerce platforms, face particularly severe consequences. The vulnerability can be exploited to create a persistent denial of service condition that may require system restarts to resolve, potentially leading to extended service interruptions. Additionally, the resource consumption aspect of this vulnerability can cause cascading effects throughout the system, potentially impacting other services running on the same infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-2180 primarily focus on applying the vendor-provided security patches and fix packs that address the specific NULL pointer dereference issue within the DRDA module. Organizations should immediately implement the IBM DB2 fix packs 6 for version 9.7 and fix pack 5 for version 9.8, which contain the necessary code modifications to properly validate chained requests and prevent the NULL pointer dereference condition. Network-level protections should include implementing strict firewall rules that limit access to database ports and services to only trusted IP addresses and networks, reducing the attack surface for remote exploitation. Additionally, deploying intrusion detection systems with signature-based detection capabilities can help identify and block malicious requests attempting to exploit this vulnerability. System administrators should also implement monitoring solutions that can detect unusual resource consumption patterns or daemon crashes that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-476 which describes NULL pointer dereference conditions, and represents a classic example of a remote code execution vulnerability that can be leveraged for denial of service attacks. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the T1499.004 technique related to network denial of service, demonstrating how weaknesses in database protocol implementations can be exploited to create system-wide availability issues. Organizations should also consider implementing database activity monitoring and logging to detect anomalous behavior patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, as well as establishing incident response procedures specifically designed to handle database service disruption events.