CVE-2012-2190 in WebSphere
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Global Security Kit (aka GSKit), as used in IBM HTTP Server in IBM WebSphere Application Server (WAS) 6.1.x before 6.1.0.45, 7.0.x before 7.0.0.25, 8.0.x before 8.0.0.4, and 8.5.x before 8.5.0.1, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (daemon crash) via a crafted ClientHello message in the TLS Handshake Protocol.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/27/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-2190 affects IBM Global Security Kit (GSKit), a cryptographic library component integral to IBM WebSphere Application Server's security infrastructure. This flaw manifests within the TLS handshake process, specifically during the initial ClientHello message exchange between clients and servers. The vulnerability resides in the improper handling of malformed TLS handshake messages, creating a condition where specially crafted ClientHello packets can trigger unexpected behavior in the GSKit daemon responsible for managing SSL/TLS connections.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the GSKit component's TLS handshake processing logic. When the daemon receives a malformed ClientHello message containing crafted parameters or unexpected data structures, it fails to properly sanitize or reject these inputs before proceeding with cryptographic operations. This deficiency allows attackers to exploit memory management issues or buffer handling inconsistencies that ultimately lead to daemon termination. The vulnerability specifically impacts IBM WebSphere Application Server versions 6.1.x prior to 6.1.0.45, 7.0.x prior to 7.0.0.25, 8.0.x prior to 8.0.0.4, and 8.5.x prior to 8.5.0.1, indicating a widespread issue affecting multiple major releases of the application server platform.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, representing a significant threat to system availability and business continuity. Remote attackers can leverage this weakness to perform denial of service attacks against targeted IBM WebSphere Application Server instances without requiring authentication or privileged access. The daemon crash resulting from this vulnerability can lead to complete service unavailability for the affected web server, potentially disrupting critical business applications that depend on secure communication channels. Organizations utilizing these vulnerable versions face risks of extended downtime, customer service disruption, and potential financial losses due to the unavailability of secure web services. The attack vector's remote nature means that adversaries can exploit this weakness from anywhere on the internet, making it particularly dangerous for publicly accessible web applications.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-2190 should prioritize immediate patch application from IBM, which addresses the underlying input validation issues in GSKit's TLS handshake processing. Organizations should implement network-level protections including firewall rules that restrict access to SSL/TLS ports and deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious ClientHello patterns. Additionally, implementing application-level monitoring can help detect unusual connection termination patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. System administrators should also consider temporary workarounds such as disabling certain TLS versions or implementing more restrictive SSL/TLS configuration profiles until permanent patches are deployed. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of input boundaries, and represents a classic example of a buffer overflow or memory corruption issue that can be exploited through protocol manipulation. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the T1499.004 technique related to network denial of service attacks, demonstrating how cryptographic protocol flaws can be weaponized to achieve system availability compromise. Organizations should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify other potential TLS-related weaknesses in their infrastructure and establish incident response procedures specifically addressing SSL/TLS service disruptions.