CVE-2013-5415 in Rational ClearCase
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in IBM Rational ClearCase through 7.1.2.12, 8.0.0.x before 8.0.0.9, and 8.0.1.x before 8.0.1.2 allows local users to gain privileges via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/18/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-5415 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within IBM Rational ClearCase software across multiple version ranges including 7.1.2.12 and earlier, 8.0.0.x versions before 8.0.0.9, and 8.0.1.x versions before 8.0.1.2. This issue affects a widely used version control system that manages software development workflows and source code repositories in enterprise environments. The buffer overflow vulnerability arises from improper input validation mechanisms within the software's core components, specifically when processing user-supplied data that exceeds allocated memory boundaries. Such flaws typically occur when developers fail to properly bounds-check data inputs or when memory allocation routines do not adequately verify the size of incoming data streams. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects local users, meaning that an attacker with legitimate access to the system can exploit this weakness to escalate privileges. This privilege escalation capability significantly amplifies the potential impact of the vulnerability, as it allows attackers to gain elevated system permissions that could enable them to access restricted resources, modify critical system files, or establish persistent access to the environment.
The technical exploitation of this buffer overflow vulnerability follows standard patterns associated with memory corruption flaws and aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions. Attackers can potentially manipulate memory layouts through carefully crafted inputs that overwrite adjacent memory regions, including return addresses or function pointers, thereby redirecting program execution flow. The local nature of this vulnerability means that exploitation does not require network connectivity or remote access, making it particularly dangerous in environments where insider threats exist or where system compromise occurs through other attack vectors. IBM Rational ClearCase operates with elevated privileges during normal operations, which compounds the risk when a local user can leverage this vulnerability to escalate their privileges to system-level access. The operational impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as successful exploitation could allow attackers to modify version control databases, corrupt source code repositories, or even establish backdoors within the development environment. This represents a significant threat to software development integrity and could potentially compromise the entire software supply chain managed by the affected ClearCase instances.
Organizations utilizing affected IBM Rational ClearCase versions face substantial operational risks when this vulnerability remains unpatched, particularly in environments where multiple developers share common systems or where access controls are insufficiently enforced. The vulnerability's presence in widely deployed enterprise version control systems means that exploitation could affect critical development workflows, potentially leading to data loss, compromised software integrity, or unauthorized modifications to source code repositories. From an enterprise security perspective, this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date software patches and implementing robust access controls. The attack surface for this vulnerability includes any local user who has access to the ClearCase environment, which typically encompasses development teams, system administrators, and other authorized personnel. Security professionals should consider implementing monitoring for unusual privilege escalation activities and ensure that all systems running affected ClearCase versions are promptly updated with the vendor-provided patches. The remediation process requires careful coordination to avoid disrupting ongoing development activities while ensuring that the vulnerability is properly addressed. Organizations should also conduct thorough risk assessments to identify all instances of the affected software and implement appropriate compensating controls until full patch deployment is achieved. This vulnerability underscores the critical need for continuous vulnerability management programs and highlights the importance of adhering to security best practices in enterprise software deployment and maintenance.