CVE-2017-1519 in DB2
Summary
by MITRE
IBM DB2 10.5 and 11.1 contains a denial of service vulnerability. A remote user can cause disruption of service for DB2 Connect Server setup with a particular configuration. IBM X-Force ID: 129829.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/11/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1519 affects IBM DB2 database management systems version 10.5 and 11.1, specifically targeting DB2 Connect Server configurations that have particular setup characteristics. This denial of service flaw represents a significant operational risk for organizations relying on DB2 for critical data operations, as it allows remote attackers to disrupt service availability without requiring authentication credentials. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of specific network communication patterns within the DB2 Connect Server component, which processes connections from remote clients seeking database access. According to IBM's security advisory, the flaw manifests when the server encounters particular connection requests that trigger an unhandled exception, leading to service termination and complete disruption of database connectivity for legitimate users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a specific configuration of DB2 Connect Server that fails to properly validate incoming connection parameters during the authentication handshake process. When a remote attacker crafts and sends specially formatted connection requests, the system's processing logic encounters malformed data that causes the server to crash or become unresponsive. This behavior aligns with CWE-400 vulnerability classification, which addresses "Uncontrolled Resource Consumption" and specifically covers scenarios where improper input validation leads to system resource exhaustion or service disruption. The flaw operates at the network protocol level within the DB2 Connect functionality, where the server's response to malformed connection packets does not include proper error handling mechanisms to prevent system instability. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires no authentication credentials to exploit, making it accessible to any remote attacker with network access to the DB2 server.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-1519 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially cause cascading failures within enterprise environments that depend on database connectivity. Organizations utilizing DB2 Connect Server configurations may experience complete database unavailability, resulting in application downtime, data access failures, and potential business continuity issues. The vulnerability's exploitation can occur through various attack vectors including direct network connections or through intermediary systems that route database traffic, making detection and mitigation more complex. From an adversary perspective, this flaw maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which covers "Endpoint Denial of Service" and represents a low-effort, high-impact attack vector that can be automated. The disruption can affect multiple concurrent users simultaneously, as the service failure impacts all connection attempts rather than individual sessions, amplifying the operational consequences for database-dependent applications and business processes.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-1519 should focus on both immediate patching and network-level protections to prevent exploitation. IBM has released security fixes for both affected versions, and organizations should prioritize applying these updates to maintain system integrity and prevent potential exploitation. Network administrators should implement firewall rules to restrict access to DB2 Connect Server ports from untrusted networks, limiting exposure to potential attackers. Additionally, monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect unusual connection patterns or repeated connection failures that may indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems specifically configured to identify the signature patterns associated with this vulnerability. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and error handling in database server implementations, reinforcing industry best practices for secure coding and defensive programming. Regular security assessments of database configurations should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities that may exist in other database components or related systems.