CVE-2020-4310 in IBM
Summary
by MITRE
IBM MQ and MQ Appliance 7.1, 7.5, 8.0, 9.0 LTS, 9.1 LTS, and 9.1 C are vulnerable to a denial of service attack due to an error within the Data Conversion logic. IBM X-Force ID: 177081.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/24/2020
IBM MQ and MQ Appliance versions 7.1 through 9.1 LTS and C are susceptible to a denial of service vulnerability stemming from a flaw in their Data Conversion logic. This vulnerability manifests when the system processes certain malformed data inputs that trigger an internal error within the message queuing infrastructure. The flaw exists in the way the software handles data type conversions during message processing, particularly when encountering unexpected or corrupted data formats that the conversion routines cannot properly handle. The issue is classified under CWE-248, which addresses exposure of exception information, as the error conditions are not properly managed and can lead to system instability. This vulnerability represents a significant operational risk as it allows remote attackers to disrupt service availability without requiring authentication or elevated privileges.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within the core message processing engine where data conversion routines are invoked during message handling operations. When malformed data is received, the conversion logic fails to properly validate input parameters or handle exceptional cases, resulting in system crashes or process termination. The error condition typically manifests as an unhandled exception that causes the messaging service to become unresponsive, effectively rendering the queue manager unavailable to process legitimate messages. This behavior aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network disruption through service availability attacks. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because IBM MQ is widely deployed in mission-critical environments where availability is paramount, and a successful exploitation can cause cascading failures throughout interconnected systems that depend on message queuing for communication.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass potential business continuity issues and increased administrative overhead. Organizations relying on IBM MQ for critical data flows may experience extended downtime during attack windows, with recovery requiring manual intervention to restart affected queue managers. The vulnerability affects multiple versions across the IBM MQ product line, indicating a fundamental flaw in the data conversion architecture that has persisted through several releases. System administrators must implement monitoring solutions to detect unusual process termination patterns or error logs that may indicate exploitation attempts. The lack of authentication requirements for exploitation makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where network access is not strictly controlled. Organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure, while also maintaining regular backup and recovery procedures to minimize impact during potential exploitation events. This vulnerability highlights the importance of proper error handling and input validation in enterprise messaging systems, with implications for both security and reliability of critical infrastructure components.