CVE-2013-2960 in Tivoli Monitoring
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in KDSMAIN in 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 (segmentation fault) via a crafted http URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/25/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-2960 represents a critical buffer overflow condition within the KDSMAIN component of IBM Tivoli Monitoring version 6.2.0 through FP3, 6.2.1 through FP4, 6.2.2 through FP9, and 6.2.3 before FP3. This flaw exists within the Basic Services component and affects 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 vulnerability manifests when the system processes a crafted http URL, creating a scenario where an attacker can manipulate input data to trigger memory corruption.
This buffer overflow vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and bounds checking within the KDSMAIN module. When processing HTTP requests containing maliciously crafted URLs, the system fails to properly validate the length and content of the input data before copying it into fixed-size buffers. The flaw operates under CWE-121, which categorizes buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows data to overwrite adjacent memory locations. The technical implementation involves the system's failure to enforce proper buffer size limitations during HTTP URL parsing, leading to memory corruption that manifests as segmentation faults.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends to potential denial of service conditions that can severely disrupt business operations. Remote attackers can exploit this vulnerability to cause segmentation faults, effectively crashing the KDSMAIN service and resulting in complete service unavailability. This disruption affects the monitoring capabilities of organizations relying on IBM Tivoli Monitoring, potentially masking actual system issues while the service remains offline. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability means that attackers do not require physical access or local privileges, making it particularly dangerous for networked environments where the monitoring system is exposed to external traffic.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant IBM security patches and fixes released for the affected versions of IBM Tivoli Monitoring and related products. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit exposure of the vulnerable components to untrusted networks. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1190 - Exploit Public-Facing Application, as it represents an exploitation of a publicly accessible service component. Additionally, implementing input validation mechanisms and regular security assessments can help identify similar vulnerabilities in other system components. The affected systems should also be monitored for signs of exploitation attempts, with security information and event management tools configured to detect anomalous traffic patterns associated with buffer overflow attacks.