CVE-2017-9281 in VisiBroker
Summary
by MITRE
An integer overflow (CWE-190) potentially causing an out-of-bounds read (CWE-125) vulnerability in Micro Focus VisiBroker 8.5 can lead to a denial of service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/18/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9281 represents a critical integer overflow condition within Micro Focus VisiBroker 8.5 that manifests as an out-of-bounds read scenario. This flaw resides in the CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture) implementation of the software, specifically affecting how the system processes certain data structures during object serialization and deserialization operations. The integer overflow occurs when the application attempts to calculate memory allocation sizes based on user-provided input values that exceed the maximum representable integer value for the target architecture. This condition creates a scenario where the calculated buffer size becomes negative or wraps around to a very large positive value, leading to improper memory allocation behavior.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability begins with an attacker crafting malicious CORBA messages that contain oversized integer values in specific fields. When the VisiBroker middleware processes these malformed messages, the integer overflow causes the system to allocate insufficient memory for the intended buffer or to calculate an incorrect buffer size. This misalignment results in memory access violations that manifest as out-of-bounds read operations, where the application attempts to read memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the core of the middleware's communication layer, affecting all applications that rely on VisiBroker for distributed object communication.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-9281 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enable more sophisticated attack vectors. While the primary effect is a system crash or service disruption, the out-of-bounds read behavior could theoretically be exploited to extract sensitive memory information or to bypass security controls. The vulnerability affects the availability aspect of the CIA triad, as legitimate users would experience service interruptions when the middleware becomes unresponsive due to memory corruption. Systems running VisiBroker 8.5 that process untrusted CORBA requests from external sources are particularly at risk, as the attack surface includes any network interface that accepts CORBA communications. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-190 for integer overflow and CWE-125 for out-of-bounds read, both of which are well-documented in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog and represent fundamental software security flaws that require careful handling in distributed systems.
Organizations utilizing Micro Focus VisiBroker 8.5 should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches and updates that address the integer overflow condition in the CORBA message processing components. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit exposure of VisiBroker services to untrusted networks, while implementing proper input validation and sanitization measures at all communication boundaries. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1190 technique for Exploit Public-Facing Application, as it represents a classic example of a remote code execution vector that can be exploited through network-based attacks. Additionally, monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual CORBA message patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, including monitoring for malformed integer values in message headers and payload structures. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be performed to identify other potential integer overflow conditions within the middleware stack and related applications that communicate through VisiBroker.