CVE-2025-35966 in Comdb2
Summary
by MITRE • 07/22/2025
A null pointer dereference vulnerability exists in the CDB2SQLQUERY protocol buffer message handling of Bloomberg Comdb2 8.1. A specially crafted protocol buffer message can lead to a denial of service. An attacker can simply connect to a database instance over TCP and send the crafted message to trigger this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/24/2025
The null pointer dereference vulnerability CVE-2025-35966 represents a critical weakness in Bloomberg Comdb2 version 8.1's handling of CDB2SQLQUERY protocol buffer messages. This vulnerability resides within the database server's message processing logic where insufficient input validation leads to improper handling of malformed protocol buffer data structures. The flaw specifically manifests when the system attempts to dereference a null pointer during the parsing of CDB2SQLQUERY messages, creating a condition where the application crashes or becomes unresponsive.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate error checking within the protocol buffer message parsing routines. When a client establishes a TCP connection to the Comdb2 database instance and sends a specially crafted CDB2SQLQUERY message containing malformed or incomplete protocol buffer fields, the server's processing logic fails to properly validate the message structure before attempting to access pointer references. This failure results in a null pointer dereference condition that terminates the database service or causes it to enter a non-responsive state.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant denial of service risk to organizations relying on Bloomberg Comdb2 for critical database operations. Attackers can exploit this weakness with minimal technical expertise by simply connecting to any Comdb2 instance over TCP and transmitting the crafted protocol buffer message. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as database availability becomes compromised, potentially affecting business operations, financial transactions, and real-time data processing workflows that depend on the affected database systems. The vulnerability's accessibility through standard network connections makes it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited remotely without requiring elevated privileges or specialized access.
The underlying cause of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-476 which identifies null pointer dereference as a common programming error where a null value is dereferenced without proper validation. This flaw also maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which covers network denial of service attacks through protocol manipulation. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches from Bloomberg, implementing network-level access controls to restrict database connections, and deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious protocol buffer message patterns. Additionally, application-level input validation should be strengthened to ensure all protocol buffer messages undergo comprehensive validation before processing, and the system should implement proper exception handling to prevent crash conditions during malformed message processing.