CVE-2018-6644 in Small Footprint CIM Broker
Summary
by MITRE
SBLIM Small Footprint CIM Broker (SFCB) 1.4.9 has a null pointer (DoS) vulnerability via a crafted POST request to the /cimom URI.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/06/2023
The SBLIM Small Footprint CIM Broker SFCB version 1.4.9 contains a critical null pointer dereference vulnerability that can be exploited to cause a denial of service condition through carefully crafted POST requests directed at the /cimom URI endpoint. This vulnerability represents a fundamental flaw in the input validation and error handling mechanisms of the CIM (Common Information Model) broker implementation, which serves as a core component for managing and exposing system information in enterprise environments.
The technical flaw manifests when the SFCB service processes malformed or specially constructed POST requests containing null pointers or invalid data structures within the CIM operations. The vulnerability specifically affects the /cimom URI endpoint which handles Common Information Model operations and is designed to provide management information about system resources and services. When processing these crafted requests, the service fails to properly validate incoming data structures and subsequently attempts to dereference null pointers, leading to an immediate service crash and subsequent denial of service condition.
This vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited remotely without authentication requirements, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where CIM brokers serve as critical management interfaces. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as it can affect system monitoring capabilities, automated management workflows, and overall infrastructure stability. Organizations relying on SFCB for system management and monitoring operations face significant risk of operational disruption when this vulnerability is exploited, potentially leading to extended downtime and increased administrative overhead during recovery operations.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-476 which specifically addresses null pointer dereference conditions, and represents a classic example of insufficient input validation in network services. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability maps to attack techniques in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the service execution and denial of service categories, where attackers can leverage such flaws to disrupt critical infrastructure management functions. The exploitation requires minimal technical expertise and can be automated, making it attractive to threat actors seeking to cause operational disruption.
Organizations should immediately implement patch management procedures to upgrade to SFCB versions that address this null pointer dereference vulnerability. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of the /cimom endpoint to trusted networks only. Additionally, monitoring should be configured to detect unusual patterns of POST requests to the affected URI, and intrusion detection systems should be updated to recognize signatures associated with this specific vulnerability. Regular security assessments of management interfaces and proper input validation testing should be conducted to prevent similar issues in other components of the system infrastructure.