CVE-2019-4378 in IBM
Summary
by MITRE
IBM MQ 7.5.0.0 - 7.5.0.9, 7.1.0.0 - 7.1.0.9, 8.0.0.0 - 8.0.0.12, 9.0.0.0 - 9.0.0.6, 9.1.0.0 - 9.1.0.2, and 9.1.0 - 9.1.2 command server is vulnerable to a denial of service attack caused by an authenticated and authorized user using specially crafted PCF messages. IBM X-Force ID: 162084.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/28/2023
The vulnerability described in CVE-2019-4378 affects IBM MQ versions across multiple release streams including 7.5.0.x, 7.1.0.x, 8.0.0.x, 9.0.0.x, and 9.1.0.x, specifically targeting the command server component. This represents a significant security weakness that allows authenticated users to potentially disrupt system operations through carefully constructed PCF (PCF stands for Program Command Format) messages. The command server functionality in IBM MQ provides administrative capabilities for managing queue managers, and when compromised, can lead to unauthorized service disruption. The vulnerability specifically manifests when authenticated users leverage crafted PCF messages to trigger a denial of service condition that affects the command server's ability to process legitimate administrative commands.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate input validation within the command server's message processing mechanism. When the system receives specially crafted PCF messages, the parsing logic fails to properly handle malformed or overly complex message structures, leading to resource exhaustion or internal state corruption. This vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires an authenticated session to exploit, meaning that only users with valid credentials can potentially trigger the denial of service condition. The attack vector specifically targets the command server's message handling routines where PCF messages are processed, and the insufficient sanitization of input parameters allows malicious payloads to cause system instability. This weakness aligns with CWE-129, which covers improper validation of input, and represents a classic example of insufficient input validation that can lead to resource exhaustion attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service interruption to potentially compromise the availability of critical enterprise messaging infrastructure. Organizations relying on IBM MQ for mission-critical communications may experience significant downtime when this vulnerability is exploited, particularly in environments where command server functionality is actively used for administrative tasks. The authenticated nature of the attack means that insider threats or compromised accounts could be leveraged to cause service disruption, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations with less stringent access controls. System administrators may find their ability to manage queue managers severely impaired, potentially leading to cascading failures in distributed applications that depend on IBM MQ for message passing. The vulnerability affects the overall reliability of the messaging infrastructure and can impact business continuity operations.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant IBM security patches and updates that address this vulnerability in their IBM MQ installations. Network segmentation and access control measures should be strengthened to limit exposure of the command server functionality to only trusted administrative users. Monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns of PCF message processing that might indicate exploitation attempts. The implementation of principle of least privilege should be enforced to ensure that only necessary personnel have access to command server functionality. Additionally, organizations should consider disabling command server functionality if it is not essential for operations, as this would eliminate the attack surface entirely. Regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other enterprise messaging systems and ensure that input validation mechanisms are properly implemented across all components of the messaging infrastructure. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing robust access controls for administrative interfaces.