Vulnerabilities > CVE-2012-4857 - Improper Restriction of Operations Within the Bounds of A Memory Buffer vulnerability in IBM Informix Dynamic Server

047910
CVSS 9.0 - CRITICAL
Attack vector
NETWORK
Attack complexity
LOW
Privileges required
SINGLE
Confidentiality impact
COMPLETE
Integrity impact
COMPLETE
Availability impact
COMPLETE
network
low complexity
ibm
CWE-119
critical
nessus

Summary

Buffer overflow in IBM Informix 11.50 through 11.50.xC9W2 and 11.70 before 11.70.xC7 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary code via a crafted SQL statement.

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

  • Buffer Overflow via Environment Variables
    This attack pattern involves causing a buffer overflow through manipulation of environment variables. Once the attacker finds that they can modify an environment variable, they may try to overflow associated buffers. This attack leverages implicit trust often placed in environment variables.
  • Overflow Buffers
    Buffer Overflow attacks target improper or missing bounds checking on buffer operations, typically triggered by input injected by an attacker. As a consequence, an attacker is able to write past the boundaries of allocated buffer regions in memory, causing a program crash or potentially redirection of execution as per the attackers' choice.
  • Client-side Injection-induced Buffer Overflow
    This type of attack exploits a buffer overflow vulnerability in targeted client software through injection of malicious content from a custom-built hostile service.
  • Filter Failure through Buffer Overflow
    In this attack, the idea is to cause an active filter to fail by causing an oversized transaction. An attacker may try to feed overly long input strings to the program in an attempt to overwhelm the filter (by causing a buffer overflow) and hoping that the filter does not fail securely (i.e. the user input is let into the system unfiltered).
  • MIME Conversion
    An attacker exploits a weakness in the MIME conversion routine to cause a buffer overflow and gain control over the mail server machine. The MIME system is designed to allow various different information formats to be interpreted and sent via e-mail. Attack points exist when data are converted to MIME compatible format and back.

Nessus

NASL familyDatabases
NASL idIBM_INFORMIX_SERVER_SWG21618994.NASL
descriptionThe version of IBM Informix Dynamic Server installed on the remote host is 11.50.x or 11.70.x prior to 11.70.xC7. It is, therefore, affected by a remote code execution vulnerability in the
last seen2020-06-01
modified2020-06-02
plugin id70098
published2013-09-24
reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2013-2018 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.
sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/70098
titleIBM Informix Dynamic Server 11.50.x / 11.70.x < 11.70.xC7 RCE (credentialed check)
code
#
# (C) Tenable Network Security, Inc.
#

include("compat.inc");

if (description)
{
  script_id(70098);
  script_version("1.8");
  script_cvs_date("Date: 2018/07/12 19:01:15");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2012-4857");
  script_bugtraq_id(56857);

  script_name(english:"IBM Informix Dynamic Server 11.50.x / 11.70.x < 11.70.xC7 RCE (credentialed check)");
  script_summary(english:"Checks IBM Informix Dynamic Server version.");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"A database server installed on the remote host is affected by a remote
code execution vulnerability.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"The version of IBM Informix Dynamic Server installed on the remote
host is 11.50.x or 11.70.x prior to 11.70.xC7. It is, therefore,
affected by a remote code execution vulnerability in the
'genxmlqueryhdr' and genxmlquery' XML functions due to an overflow
condition. An authenticated, remote attacker can exploit this, via a
specially crafted statement, to cause a denial of service condition or
the execution of arbitrary code.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21618994");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"Upgrade to IBM Informix Dynamic Server version 11.70.xC7 or later.");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:OF/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:O/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No known exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"false");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2012/12/06");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"patch_publication_date", value:"2012/12/18");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2013/09/24");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/a:ibm:informix_dynamic_server");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"Databases");

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2013-2018 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");

  script_dependencies("ibm_informix_server_installed.nasl");
  script_require_keys("installed_sw/IBM Informix Dynamic Server");
  exit(0);
}

include('audit.inc');
include('global_settings.inc');
include('misc_func.inc');
include("install_func.inc");

app_name = 'IBM Informix Dynamic Server';
install = get_single_install(app_name:app_name, exit_if_unknown_ver:TRUE);

ver   = install['version'];
path  = install['path'];

fix = NULL;

item = pregmatch(pattern:"[cC]([0-9]+)([wW]([0-9]+))?([^0-9]|$)",
                 string:ver);
c_num = 0;
w_num = 0;
if (!isnull(item) && !isnull(item[1])) c_num = int(item[1]);
if (!isnull(item) && !isnull(item[2]) && !isnull(item[3])) w_num = int(item[3]);

# 11.50 <= 11.50.xC9W2 (currently no fix for 11.50 branch)
if (ver =~"^11\.50($|\.|[^0-9])" &&
   (c_num < 9 || (c_num == 9 && w_num <= 2)))
  fix = '11.70.xC7';
# 11.70 < 11.70.xC7
else if (ver =~"^11\.70($|\.|[^0-9])" && c_num < 7)
  fix = '11.70.xC7';
else
  audit(AUDIT_INST_PATH_NOT_VULN, app_name, ver, path);

port = get_kb_item("SMB/transport");
if (!port) port = 445;

if (report_verbosity > 0)
{
  report =
      '\n  Path              : ' + path +
      '\n  Installed version : ' + ver +
      '\n  Fixed version     : ' + fix + '\n';
  server_instances = get_kb_item("Host/" + app_name + "/Server Instances");
  if (!empty_or_null(server_instances))
  {
    instance_list = split(server_instances, sep:' / ', keep:FALSE);
    report += '  Server instances  : ' + '\n      - ' + join(instance_list, sep:'\n      - ') + '\n';
  }
  security_hole(port:port, extra:report);
}
else security_hole(port);