CVE-2013-3980 in Sametime Meeting Server
Summary
by MITRE
The Meeting Server in IBM Sametime 8.x through 8.5.2.1 and 9.x through 9.0.0.1 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (room unusability) by generating a large number of fictitious users to enter a meeting room.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/02/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2013-3980 represents a significant denial of service weakness within IBM Sametime's Meeting Server component. This flaw affects versions 8.x through 8.5.2.1 and 9.x through 9.0.0.1, creating a scenario where malicious actors can exploit the system by flooding meeting rooms with numerous fabricated user accounts. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the room management functionality of the Sametime platform, which is widely used for enterprise collaboration and virtual meetings. The issue stems from inadequate input validation and resource management within the system's user session handling mechanisms, allowing attackers to consume system resources without proper authentication or authorization.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the exploitation of the Meeting Server's user registration and room entry processes. When attackers generate a large volume of fake user accounts, the system's resource allocation mechanisms become overwhelmed, leading to a cascading failure where legitimate users cannot access or participate in meetings. This occurs because the server fails to properly validate user credentials or implement rate limiting for room access attempts, creating a scenario where the system's memory and processing capabilities are exhausted. The flaw can be classified as a resource exhaustion attack, specifically targeting the session management and user authentication components of the application. According to CWE standards, this vulnerability corresponds to CWE-400, which describes resource exhaustion vulnerabilities that occur when an application fails to properly manage resources or implement adequate limits on resource consumption.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it fundamentally undermines the reliability and availability of enterprise communication systems. Organizations relying on IBM Sametime for critical business operations face potential productivity losses, communication breakdowns, and potential financial consequences when meeting rooms become unusable due to malicious resource consumption. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires minimal technical expertise to execute, making it accessible to a wide range of threat actors. The vulnerability can be leveraged as part of broader attack campaigns, potentially serving as a precursor to more sophisticated exploitation attempts or as a means to disrupt business continuity operations. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the T1499.004 technique related to network denial of service and T1566.001 for social engineering attacks that leverage application weaknesses.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-3980 should focus on implementing robust input validation, rate limiting, and resource management controls within the Meeting Server configuration. Organizations should deploy network-level controls to monitor and limit the number of connection attempts from individual sources, while also implementing proper session timeout mechanisms and user authentication validation. The most effective approach involves applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates that address the root cause of the vulnerability by strengthening the system's resource allocation and user management processes. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and access controls can help limit the potential impact of such attacks, while regular monitoring of system logs and resource utilization can provide early detection of malicious activity. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify unusual patterns of user account creation or room access attempts that may indicate exploitation of this vulnerability.