CVE-2015-2013 in WebSphere MQ
Summary
by MITRE
IBM WebSphere MQ 7.0.1 before 7.0.1.13 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (channel-agent abend and process outage) via a crafted selection string in an MQI call.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/14/2022
IBM WebSphere MQ version 7.0.1 before 7.0.1.13 contains a critical vulnerability that enables remote attackers to trigger denial of service conditions through carefully crafted selection strings within MQI calls. This vulnerability specifically affects the channel agent component of the messaging middleware, which serves as the communication interface between applications and the message queue manager. The flaw manifests when the system processes malformed selection strings that are part of MQI (Message Queue Interface) operations, causing the channel agent to abend and resulting in complete process outage.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the channel agent's processing logic. When an attacker submits a malformed selection string through an MQI call, the system fails to properly sanitize or validate the input before processing it within the channel agent context. This lack of proper validation creates a condition where the channel agent encounters unexpected data structures that it cannot handle gracefully, leading to an abrupt termination of the process. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires network connectivity to the WebSphere MQ service, making it accessible to remote attackers without requiring local system access or authentication credentials.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-2013 extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can compromise the entire messaging infrastructure that organizations rely upon for critical business operations. When the channel agent abends, it not only terminates the current connection but can also cause cascading failures throughout the messaging network, potentially affecting multiple applications and services that depend on the queue manager for message passing. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-121, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks. Organizations utilizing this vulnerable version of WebSphere MQ face significant risk of operational downtime that can result in financial losses, compliance violations, and disruption of critical business processes.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patch deployment to update WebSphere MQ to version 7.0.1.13 or later, which contains the necessary fixes to properly validate selection strings within MQI calls. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of the messaging infrastructure to untrusted networks, while firewall rules can be configured to restrict access to MQI ports from known good sources only. Additionally, organizations should implement monitoring solutions to detect anomalous MQI call patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, and establish incident response procedures specifically tailored to handle messaging infrastructure outages. The vulnerability's classification as a denial of service condition means that traditional security controls like intrusion detection systems may not effectively prevent exploitation, making proactive patch management and network access controls essential defensive measures.