CVE-2017-9282 in VisiBroker
Summary
by MITRE
An integer overflow (CWE-190) led to an out-of-bounds write (CWE-787) on a heap-allocated area, leading to heap corruption in Micro Focus VisiBroker 8.5. The feasibility of leveraging this vulnerability for further attacks was not assessed.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/18/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9282 represents a critical integer overflow condition within Micro Focus VisiBroker 8.5 that fundamentally compromises memory safety mechanisms. This issue manifests as an integer overflow (CWE-190) occurring during processing of input data that ultimately results in an out-of-bounds write operation (CWE-787) against heap-allocated memory regions. The flaw exists within the CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture) implementation of the VisiBroker middleware, which serves as a communication framework for distributed applications. The integer overflow occurs when the system processes certain data structures that contain size parameters or count values that exceed the maximum representable value for the integer type being used. When this overflow occurs, subsequent calculations based on the corrupted integer value lead to memory access patterns that extend beyond the bounds of allocated heap memory segments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption, as heap corruption creates opportunities for arbitrary code execution and system compromise. The heap-based nature of the vulnerability means that attackers could potentially manipulate memory layout and overwrite critical data structures or function pointers within the application's heap space. This type of memory corruption vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation. The vulnerability's potential for exploitation stems from the fact that heap corruption can be leveraged to overwrite return addresses, function pointers, or other critical program data structures that control program execution flow. The specific nature of the heap corruption means that successful exploitation could allow an attacker to redirect program execution to malicious code placed within the heap memory space, effectively enabling remote code execution capabilities.
The security implications of this vulnerability extend to the broader CORBA ecosystem and distributed computing environments where VisiBroker is deployed. Organizations relying on this middleware for enterprise application integration face significant risk as the vulnerability could be exploited to gain unauthorized access to critical business applications and data systems. The integer overflow condition typically occurs in scenarios involving malformed input data or network packets that contain oversized size fields or count parameters that trigger the arithmetic overflow. When the system attempts to allocate memory or process data structures based on the overflowed integer values, it creates memory access violations that result in heap corruption. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and proper integer handling in middleware components that process untrusted data from network sources. The lack of assessment regarding exploitation feasibility does not diminish the inherent risk, as heap corruption vulnerabilities of this nature are typically considered high-value targets for attackers due to their potential for code execution and system compromise.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patch deployment from Micro Focus, as the vendor would have released security updates addressing the integer overflow condition. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of VisiBroker instances to untrusted networks, following ATT&CK technique T1046 for network service scanning and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation. Input validation mechanisms should be strengthened to detect and reject malformed data structures that could trigger the integer overflow condition. Additionally, memory protection mechanisms such as stack canaries, address space layout randomization, and data execution prevention should be enabled to reduce the exploitability of heap corruption vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar integer overflow conditions within the organization's middleware infrastructure, particularly in legacy systems that may contain similar memory handling vulnerabilities. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical need for robust memory safety practices in middleware and distributed computing frameworks where untrusted data processing occurs.