CVE-2020-5015 in Elastic Storage System
Summary
by MITRE • 03/24/2021
IBM Elastic Storage System 6.0.0 through 6.0.1.2 and IBM Elastic Storage Server 5.3.0 through 5.3.6.2 could allow a remote attacker to cause a denial of service by sending malformed UDP requests. IBM X-Force ID: 193486.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/04/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-5015 affects IBM Elastic Storage System versions 6.0.0 through 6.0.1.2 and IBM Elastic Storage Server versions 5.3.0 through 5.3.6.2, representing a critical denial of service weakness that can be exploited remotely through malformed UDP packet transmission. This flaw resides within the network protocol handling mechanisms of these storage systems, specifically targeting the Universal Datagram Protocol implementation that governs communication between storage components and client applications. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and error handling within the UDP processing routines, allowing attackers to craft specially crafted packets that trigger unexpected system behavior when processed by the affected storage infrastructure.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker sends malformed UDP requests to the targeted storage system, causing the system to enter an unstable state or crash entirely. The flaw manifests as a failure in the system's ability to properly parse and validate incoming UDP packets, particularly those containing malformed headers or unexpected payload structures. When the storage system attempts to process these invalid packets, the insufficient validation mechanisms lead to memory corruption, resource exhaustion, or thread termination, ultimately resulting in a complete denial of service condition that prevents legitimate users from accessing storage resources. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-129, which addresses issues related to insufficient validation of input data, and CWE-476, which covers null pointer dereference conditions that can occur during malformed input processing.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-5015 extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can compromise the availability and reliability of critical storage infrastructure within enterprise environments. Organizations utilizing these IBM storage systems may experience extended downtime, data access interruptions, and potential business continuity issues when this vulnerability is successfully exploited. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can target these systems from external networks without requiring physical access or local credentials, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous in cloud and hybrid storage environments. From an adversary perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which involves network denial of service attacks, and represents a significant vector for disrupting storage services and potentially masking other malicious activities within the network infrastructure.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to restrict access to storage system UDP ports, deployment of network intrusion detection systems to monitor for malformed UDP traffic patterns, and application of the vendor-provided security patches. The recommended approach involves configuring firewalls to filter suspicious UDP traffic, implementing rate limiting mechanisms to prevent abuse, and establishing monitoring protocols that can detect anomalous UDP packet behavior. Additionally, system administrators should conduct regular vulnerability assessments and maintain updated threat intelligence to identify potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of robust input validation and error handling in network services, particularly for critical infrastructure components where denial of service attacks can have cascading effects throughout enterprise storage architectures.