CVE-2014-0871 in Algorithmics
Summary
by MITRE
RICOS in IBM Algo Credit Limits (aka ACLM) 4.5.0 through 4.7.0 before 4.7.0.03 FP5 in IBM Algorithmics allows remote attackers to obtain potentially sensitive Tomcat stack-trace information via non-printing characters in a cookie to the /classes/ URI, as demonstrated by the \x00 character.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/22/2024
The vulnerability CVE-2014-0871 affects IBM Algo Credit Limits (ACLM) version 4.5.0 through 4.7.0 before 4.7.0.03 FP5, specifically within the IBM Algorithmics platform. This issue resides in the application's handling of HTTP cookies and demonstrates a classic information disclosure vulnerability that can reveal sensitive system information to remote attackers. The flaw manifests when non-printing characters, particularly the null character , are included in cookies sent to the /classes/ URI endpoint, resulting in the exposure of Tomcat stack-trace information that should remain confidential.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the application's insufficient input validation and error handling mechanisms. When a malicious actor submits a cookie containing non-printing characters to the /classes/ URI, the application fails to properly sanitize or validate the input before processing it within the Tomcat servlet container. This inadequate validation allows the system to generate and return a full stack-trace containing sensitive information about the application's internal structure, including file paths, class names, and potentially system configurations. The null character specifically triggers an unexpected behavior in the cookie parsing mechanism, causing the application to throw an exception that results in the stack-trace disclosure.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations using IBM ACLM systems as it provides attackers with detailed information about the underlying application architecture and potentially sensitive system configurations. The exposed stack-trace information can include absolute file paths, Java class names, and internal application components that could be leveraged for further exploitation. This disclosure enables attackers to better understand the application's structure and potentially identify additional vulnerabilities or attack vectors within the system. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors can exploit this vulnerability from outside the organization's network without requiring physical access or prior authentication.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which describes "Information Exposure" and specifically addresses the disclosure of information that could aid in subsequent attacks. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this issue maps to T1083 (File and Directory Discovery) and T1069 (Permission Groups Discovery) as it provides attackers with information about system files and application structure. The vulnerability also represents a failure in input validation and error handling practices that should be addressed through proper security controls. Organizations should implement proper cookie validation, sanitize all input parameters, and ensure that error messages do not contain sensitive system information. The recommended mitigation involves applying the vendor-provided patch version 4.7.0.03 FP5 which addresses the cookie handling and stack-trace generation issues. Additionally, implementing proper logging and monitoring of cookie-related requests can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts while maintaining compliance with security standards such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST Cybersecurity Framework.