CVE-2014-0852 in Websphere Datapower Soa Appliance
Summary
by MITRE
IBM WebSphere DataPower SOA appliances through 4.0.2.15, 5.x through 5.0.0.17, 6.0.0.x through 6.0.0.9, and 6.0.1.x through 6.0.1.5 make it easier for remote attackers to obtain a PreMasterSecret value and defeat cryptographic protection mechanisms by sending a large number of requests in an SSL/TLS side-channel timing attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/06/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0852 affects IBM WebSphere DataPower SOA appliances across multiple version ranges including 4.0.2.15, 5.x through 5.0.0.17, 6.0.0.x through 6.0.0.9, and 6.0.1.x through 6.0.1.5. This security flaw represents a critical weakness in the cryptographic implementation of the appliance's SSL/TLS protocol handling, specifically targeting the PreMasterSecret value that is essential for establishing secure encrypted connections. The vulnerability operates through a side-channel timing attack mechanism that exploits the predictable timing characteristics of cryptographic operations within the appliance's SSL/TLS implementation.
The technical flaw manifests when the DataPower appliance fails to properly randomize timing behaviors during SSL/TLS handshake operations, particularly when processing multiple requests in rapid succession. Attackers can leverage this weakness by sending a large volume of requests to the appliance, creating a pattern that allows them to infer the PreMasterSecret value through statistical analysis of timing variations in the cryptographic processing. This timing-based approach effectively undermines the cryptographic protection mechanisms that should normally prevent unauthorized access to sensitive cryptographic material. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-310 as "Cryptographic Issues" and more specifically relates to CWE-313, which addresses cleartext storage of sensitive data, though in this case the issue involves timing information rather than direct data exposure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it enables remote attackers to potentially decrypt sensitive data transmitted through the affected appliances. Since DataPower appliances typically serve as security gateways and API management platforms, compromising their cryptographic integrity can lead to widespread data breaches and unauthorized access to protected services. The vulnerability affects the fundamental security posture of organizations relying on these appliances for SSL/TLS termination, as it allows attackers to bypass the encryption that should protect sensitive communications between clients and backend services. This weakness particularly impacts environments where the appliances are used to secure web services, API gateways, and enterprise integration scenarios where data confidentiality is paramount.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates released by IBM to address the timing attack vulnerability. Network segmentation and monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns of SSL/TLS request volumes that might indicate exploitation attempts. The appliance configuration should be reviewed to ensure that cryptographic protocols are properly implemented and that timing variations are randomized to prevent side-channel attacks. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify and alert on anomalous SSL/TLS traffic patterns. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.001 for Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols and T1566 for Phishing, as it enables attackers to compromise secure communications that could facilitate further attacks. Organizations should also review their overall cryptographic implementation practices to ensure compliance with industry standards such as NIST SP 800-57 and ISO/IEC 15408 to prevent similar timing-based vulnerabilities in other cryptographic implementations.