CVE-2019-19215 in Control-M
Summary
by MITRE
A buffer overflow vulnerability in BMC Control-M/Agent 7.0.00.000 when the On-Do action destination is Mail and the Control-M/Agent is configured to send the email, allows remote attackers to have unspecified impact via vectors related to the configured IP address or SMTP server.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2024
The buffer overflow vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-19215 resides within the BMC Control-M/Agent version 7.0.00.000, specifically manifesting when the On-Do action destination is configured to use email delivery. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that operates at the intersection of network communication protocols and memory management within enterprise automation software. The vulnerability becomes exploitable when the Control-M/Agent is configured to send emails directly rather than delegating this function to external mail servers. The attack vector involves manipulation of the configured IP address or SMTP server parameters, which are processed without adequate bounds checking, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to inject excessive data into memory buffers. Such vulnerabilities fall under the CWE-121 category of stack-based buffer overflow, where insufficient validation allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or system compromise. The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data corruption as it can enable attackers to execute malicious code on the target system with the privileges of the Control-M/Agent process, which typically operates with elevated permissions to manage enterprise workloads.
The technical exploitation of CVE-2019-19215 requires attackers to craft specifically formatted IP address or SMTP server configurations that exceed the allocated buffer space within the application's memory management routines. When the Control-M/Agent processes these malformed inputs during email delivery operations, the application fails to validate input length against predefined buffer boundaries, resulting in memory corruption. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190 which describes the exploitation of vulnerabilities in remote services, and T1059 which covers command and scripting interpreter usage. The flaw demonstrates a classic buffer overflow pattern where attackers can manipulate memory layout to redirect program execution flow, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability's presence in a critical enterprise automation tool means that successful exploitation could allow attackers to gain persistent access to enterprise workflows, potentially disrupting business operations and enabling lateral movement within the network infrastructure.
Organizations utilizing BMC Control-M/Agent software must implement immediate mitigation strategies to protect against exploitation of this vulnerability. The most effective immediate remediation involves applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates that address the buffer overflow in the email handling components. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of the Control-M/Agent services to untrusted networks. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous email delivery patterns or malformed IP address configurations that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's impact on enterprise automation systems means that organizations should also conduct thorough security assessments of their Control-M/Agent configurations, particularly focusing on email delivery settings and network communication parameters. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability may violate security standards such as those outlined in NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001, which require organizations to maintain secure configurations and protect against known vulnerabilities in their operational technology environments. Regular vulnerability scanning and penetration testing should be implemented to identify similar buffer overflow conditions in other enterprise applications and ensure comprehensive protection against similar attack vectors.