CVE-2013-0551 in Tivoli Monitoring
Summary
by MITRE
The Basic Services component in IBM Tivoli Monitoring (ITM) 6.2.0 through FP3, 6.2.1 through FP4, 6.2.2 through FP9, and 6.2.3 before FP3, as used in IBM Application Manager for Smart Business (formerly Tivoli Foundations Application Manager) 1.2.1 before 1.2.1.0-TIV-IAMSB-FP0004 and other products, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (abend) via a crafted URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-0551 affects IBM Tivoli Monitoring Basic Services component across multiple versions including 6.2.0 through FP3, 6.2.1 through FP4, 6.2.2 through FP9, and 6.2.3 before FP3. This issue is particularly significant as it impacts IBM Application Manager for Smart Business, formerly known as Tivoli Foundations Application Manager, specifically versions prior to 1.2.1.0-TIV-IAMSB-FP0004. The affected systems operate within enterprise monitoring environments where availability and stability are critical for business operations. The vulnerability resides in how the Basic Services component processes incoming requests, creating a path for remote exploitation that can lead to system instability and service disruption.
The technical flaw manifests through improper input validation in the URL handling mechanism of the Basic Services component. When a remote attacker crafts a specially designed URL and submits it to the affected system, the component fails to properly sanitize or validate the input before processing. This leads to a condition where the system encounters an unexpected state that causes it to abend or crash, resulting in a denial of service condition. The vulnerability represents a classic input validation flaw that allows attackers to manipulate system behavior through malformed input parameters, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where external access is possible.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption as it can compromise the integrity of monitoring operations that organizations rely upon for business continuity. When systems become unavailable due to this denial of service condition, it can mask actual system issues, making it difficult for administrators to identify genuine problems. The vulnerability affects critical infrastructure monitoring capabilities, potentially leaving organizations blind to security incidents or performance degradation in their monitored environments. This creates a cascading effect where the initial denial of service can obscure other legitimate security events or operational issues that require immediate attention.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant IBM security patches and fixes that address this specific vulnerability. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit exposure of affected systems to untrusted networks. The implementation of web application firewalls and input validation mechanisms can provide additional layers of protection. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns of URL access that may indicate exploitation attempts. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar input validation flaws in other components of the monitoring infrastructure. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and represents a technique commonly used in the attack pattern catalog under ATT&CK tactic of Execution and Persistence, where adversaries seek to disrupt services and maintain access through system instability.
The broader implications of this vulnerability highlight the importance of secure coding practices and input validation in enterprise monitoring systems. Organizations should establish robust security development lifecycle processes that include thorough code reviews and automated testing for input validation. Regular security updates and patch management procedures should be implemented to ensure timely remediation of known vulnerabilities. The incident also underscores the need for comprehensive monitoring of system availability and performance metrics to quickly detect and respond to service disruptions that may result from such vulnerabilities.