CVE-2018-6490 in Operations Orchestration
Summary
by MITRE
Denial of Service vulnerability in Micro Focus Operations Orchestration Software, version 10.x. This vulnerability could be remotely exploited to allow Denial of Service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/16/2023
The CVE-2018-6490 vulnerability represents a critical denial of service weakness within Micro Focus Operations Orchestration Software version 10.x, specifically affecting the software's handling of malformed input data. This vulnerability resides in the application's processing logic where insufficient validation occurs during the parsing of incoming requests, creating an exploitable condition that allows remote attackers to disrupt service availability. The flaw manifests when the system encounters specially crafted input that triggers an unhandled exception or memory corruption, leading to process termination and complete service disruption for legitimate users.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which categorizes uncontrolled resource consumption as a fundamental weakness in software design and implementation. The technical exploitation involves sending malformed or oversized data packets to the affected software components, causing the system to enter an unstable state where normal operations cease. The attack surface extends across network-based interfaces where the software accepts external connections, making it particularly dangerous in production environments where continuous availability is paramount. The vulnerability demonstrates poor error handling practices and inadequate input sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly validate and sanitize all incoming data streams.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant business disruption risks as it can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication or elevated privileges. The denial of service condition affects the entire orchestration platform, potentially impacting critical business processes that depend on automated workflow execution and service integration. Organizations utilizing this software in mission-critical environments face substantial risk of service interruptions, workflow failures, and potential financial losses due to extended downtime periods. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can target systems from outside the network perimeter, making traditional network segmentation measures insufficient for protection.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-6490 should include immediate implementation of software patches provided by Micro Focus, which typically address the root cause through enhanced input validation and improved error handling procedures. Network-level protections such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems can be configured to monitor and filter suspicious traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing rate limiting and connection throttling mechanisms helps reduce the effectiveness of automated exploitation attempts while maintaining legitimate service availability. Organizations should also consider deploying application-level firewalls and web application firewalls to provide additional layers of protection. The vulnerability highlights the importance of regular security assessments and vulnerability management programs aligned with industry standards such as those recommended by the Center for Internet Security and NIST guidelines for secure software development practices.