CVE-2013-0508 in Tivoli Netcool System Service Monitors
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple buffer overflows in IBM Tivoli Netcool System Service Monitors (SSM) and Application Service Monitors (ASM) 4.0.0 before FP14 and 4.0.1 before FP1 allow context-dependent attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service via a long line in (1) hrfstable.idx, (2) hrdevice.idx, (3) hrstorage.idx, or (4) lotusmapfile in the SSM Config directory, or (5) .manifest.hive in the main agent directory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/02/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-0508 represents a critical buffer overflow issue affecting IBM Tivoli Netcool System Service Monitors and Application Service Monitors versions 4.0.0 through 4.0.1 before their respective fix packs. This flaw exists within the configuration file processing mechanisms of these monitoring tools, specifically targeting the handling of indexed data files that store system and application monitoring information. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation when processing long lines within specific configuration files, creating opportunities for malicious input to overwrite adjacent memory locations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through multiple attack vectors that target different index files within the monitoring system's configuration structure. The affected files include hrfstable.idx, hrdevice.idx, hrstorage.idx, lotusmapfile, and .manifest.hive, all of which are processed during the normal operation of the SSM and ASM components. These files typically contain structured data about system resources, device configurations, and storage information that the monitoring tools use to maintain their operational state. When an attacker crafts malicious input containing excessively long lines within these files, the buffer overflow occurs during the parsing process, leading to memory corruption that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enable full system compromise. Attackers can leverage the buffer overflow to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the monitoring process, which typically runs with elevated permissions to access system resources and configuration data. This creates a significant risk for enterprise environments where these monitoring tools are deployed, as the compromised monitoring system could provide attackers with persistent access to critical infrastructure information and potentially serve as a foothold for further lateral movement within the network. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects the core monitoring infrastructure that organizations rely on for system health and security monitoring.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflows, though the specific implementation appears to involve more complex memory corruption patterns. The attack surface maps to multiple ATT&CK techniques including T1059 for command and script interpreter execution and T1499 for endpoint denial of service. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided fix packs FP14 for version 4.0.0 and the appropriate maintenance releases for version 4.0.1. Additionally, input validation should be enhanced at the file processing level to prevent overly long lines from being processed, and regular monitoring should be implemented to detect unauthorized modifications to the affected configuration files. Network segmentation and privilege separation should also be considered to limit the potential impact should the vulnerability be successfully exploited.