CVE-2024-45167 in IDOL
Summary
by MITRE • 08/22/2024
An issue was discovered in UCI IDOL 2 (aka uciIDOL or IDOL2) through 2.12. Due to improper input validation, improper deserialization, and improper restriction of operations within the bounds of a memory buffer, IDOL2 is vulnerable to Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks and possibly remote code execution. A certain XmlMessage document causes 100% CPU consumption.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/23/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-45167 affects UCI IDOL 2 (also known as uciIDOL or IDOL2) versions through 2.12, representing a critical security flaw that stems from multiple interconnected weaknesses in the software's input processing mechanisms. This vulnerability manifests through improper input validation, improper deserialization, and inadequate restriction of operations within memory buffer boundaries, creating a dangerous combination that can be exploited by malicious actors to compromise system availability and potentially execute arbitrary code remotely.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the processing of specific XmlMessage documents that trigger excessive CPU consumption, leading to 100% CPU utilization on affected systems. This behavior directly enables denial-of-service conditions where legitimate users cannot access the service due to the system becoming unresponsive. The improper deserialization aspect indicates that the application fails to properly validate or sanitize data structures received through XML messages, allowing attackers to craft malicious payloads that can cause unexpected behavior during processing. The combination of improper input validation and memory buffer operation restrictions creates an environment where crafted inputs can overflow buffers or cause the application to enter infinite loops, consuming all available CPU resources.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to organizations relying on IDOL2 for content processing and information retrieval services. The 100% CPU consumption behavior effectively renders the system unusable for legitimate requests, causing service disruptions that can impact business operations and user productivity. The potential for remote code execution adds an additional layer of risk, as attackers could leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to systems, escalate privileges, and potentially establish persistent access to network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the software, making it a critical concern for any organization that depends on IDOL2 for their information management processes.
Security professionals should immediately assess their deployment of UCI IDOL 2 systems to identify affected versions and implement mitigations. The recommended approach includes applying vendor patches or updates as soon as they become available, implementing network segmentation to limit access to affected systems, and monitoring for suspicious XML message patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing input validation controls at network boundaries and establishing incident response procedures to quickly address potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121 for buffer overflow conditions and CWE-502 for insecure deserialization, while the denial-of-service aspect maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service. Given the potential for remote code execution, this vulnerability should be prioritized for immediate remediation in all environments where IDOL2 is deployed, particularly those with direct internet exposure or limited network controls.