CVE-2019-8960 in FlexNet Publisher
Summary
by MITRE
A Denial of Service vulnerability related to command handling has been identified in FlexNet Publisher lmadmin.exe version 11.16.2. The message reading function used in lmadmin.exe can, given a certain message, call itself again and then wait for a further message. With a particular flag set in the original message, but no second message received, the function eventually return an unexpected value which leads to an exception being thrown. The end result can be process termination.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/22/2020
The vulnerability described in CVE-2019-8960 represents a critical denial of service weakness within FlexNet Publisher's lmadmin.exe component version 11.16.2. This issue manifests through flawed command handling mechanisms that create recursive message processing behaviors. The vulnerability operates at the application level where the lmadmin.exe process fails to properly validate and handle incoming messages, leading to unpredictable execution paths that can ultimately result in process termination.
The technical flaw resides in the message reading function implementation where recursive calls occur under specific conditions. When a particular flag is present in the initial message, the function invokes itself recursively and subsequently awaits additional message input. This recursive behavior creates a dependency on subsequent message reception that becomes problematic when the expected follow-up message never arrives. The absence of proper timeout mechanisms or validation checks causes the function to return unexpected values, triggering exception handling routines that lead to uncontrolled process termination.
This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-674, which addresses the issue of uncontrolled recursion in software applications. The recursive message handling pattern creates a potential for infinite loops or excessive resource consumption that can be exploited to cause system instability. From an operational perspective, this represents a significant threat to licensing server availability, as the lmadmin.exe process controls critical license management functions within FlexNet Publisher deployments. When this process terminates unexpectedly, it can disrupt license validation and distribution services for all applications relying on that licensing infrastructure.
The impact extends beyond simple service disruption to include potential business continuity issues, particularly in enterprise environments where license management systems are critical for software compliance and operational workflows. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to repeatedly cause process termination, creating persistent availability issues that would require manual intervention to resolve. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks through resource exhaustion or process termination.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper input validation and timeout mechanisms within the message processing functions. System administrators should apply the vendor-provided patches or updates that address the recursive message handling behavior. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of the lmadmin.exe service to untrusted networks. Monitoring solutions should be configured to detect process termination events and alert administrators to potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust error handling and defensive programming practices in server applications to prevent recursive calls from leading to system instability.