CVE-2023-28513 in IBM
Summary
by MITRE • 07/19/2023
IBM MQ 9.0 LTS, 9.1 LTS, 9.2 LTS, 9.3 LTS, 9.2 CD, and 9.3 CD and IBM MQ Appliance 9.2 LTS, 9.3 LTS, 9.2 CD, and 9.2 LTS, under certain configurations, is vulnerable to a denial of service attack caused by an error processing messages. IBM X-Force ID: 250397.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/14/2023
IBM MQ versions 9.0 LTS through 9.3 LTS and corresponding CD releases, along with IBM MQ Appliance versions 9.2 LTS and 9.3 LTS, contain a vulnerability that enables denial of service attacks through improper message processing. This flaw manifests when specific message handling scenarios trigger internal errors within the messaging queue system, leading to service disruption. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and error handling mechanisms during message processing operations. When maliciously crafted messages are processed under certain configuration conditions, the system fails to properly handle the error states, resulting in system instability and potential complete service interruption. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, "Improper Input Validation," and CWE-400, "Uncontrolled Resource Consumption," as the system's inability to properly manage malformed inputs leads to resource exhaustion and service degradation. The attack vector operates through message injection into the queue system, where the processing engine encounters unexpected data structures that cause it to enter an unrecoverable state. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risk to mission-critical applications that rely on IBM MQ for message queuing and processing. The impact extends beyond simple service interruption as the system may require manual restarts or extended recovery periods, potentially causing cascading failures in dependent applications. This vulnerability is particularly concerning in high-availability environments where continuous service availability is paramount. The affected configurations typically involve systems processing large volumes of messages or those with specific message format handling settings that expose the vulnerable code paths. Organizations using these IBM MQ versions should immediately implement mitigations including message filtering, enhanced input validation, and system monitoring to detect anomalous message processing patterns. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1499.004, "Endpoint Denial of Service," as it specifically targets the availability of endpoint services through message processing manipulation. Additionally, this vulnerability demonstrates characteristics of T1566.002, "Phishing with Social Engineering," when attackers craft specific message payloads designed to trigger the denial of service condition. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal privileges and can be executed remotely through message injection channels, making it particularly dangerous in distributed environments. IBM has released patches addressing this vulnerability, and organizations should prioritize applying these updates to their systems to prevent potential exploitation. The recommended mitigations include implementing message validation controls, monitoring message processing patterns for anomalies, and establishing automated recovery procedures to minimize service disruption impact. System administrators should also consider network segmentation and access controls to limit message injection points and reduce the attack surface. The vulnerability's presence in multiple LTS and CD releases underscores the importance of comprehensive patch management strategies and regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar issues across the enterprise infrastructure.