Shared memory flaw in IBM Db2 can lead to Information Disclosure

IBM addressed a shared memory vulnerability in its Db2 data management solutions that could lead to information disclosure.

IBM fixed a shared memory vulnerability in its Db2 data management products that can be exploited by malicious local users to access sensitive data.

The vulnerability, which is tracked as CVE-2020-4414, was discovered by researchers from Trustwave, it is caused by the lack of explicit memory protections for the shared memory used by Db2 trace facility.

An ill-intentioned local user could exploit the issue to achieve read and write access to that memory, potentially accessing sensitive data. The flaw can also be exploited to modify the functionality of the trace subsystem, triggering a denial of service condition in the database.

“In Windows, launch Process Explorer or other any similar tool to check open handles of Db2 main process. As you can see below, there are absolutely no permissions assigned to the shared memory so that anyone can read from and write to it.” reads the post published by Trustwave. “In the end this means that an unprivileged local user can abuse this to cause a denial of service condition simply by writing incorrect data over that memory section.”

An attacker could exploit the flaw by sending specially crafted requests to vulnerable installs.

The vulnerability impacts IBM Db2 for Linux, UNIX and Windows (including Db2 Connect Server), versions 9.7, 10.1, 10.5, 11.1, and 11.5.

IBM addressed the issue with the release of a patch on June 30.

Companies should apply security patches to their IBM Db2 installs as soon as possible.

Trustwave researcher in June discovered a similar vulnerability in Cisco Webex Meetings client for Windows, tracked as CVE-2020-3347, that could allow local authenticated attackers to gain access to sensitive information.

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Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs – hacking, IBM DB2)

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Pierluigi Paganini

Pierluigi Paganini is member of the ENISA (European Union Agency for Network and Information Security) Threat Landscape Stakeholder Group and Cyber G7 Group, he is also a Security Evangelist, Security Analyst and Freelance Writer. Editor-in-Chief at "Cyber Defense Magazine", Pierluigi is a cyber security expert with over 20 years experience in the field, he is Certified Ethical Hacker at EC Council in London. The passion for writing and a strong belief that security is founded on sharing and awareness led Pierluigi to find the security blog "Security Affairs" recently named a Top National Security Resource for US. Pierluigi is a member of the "The Hacker News" team and he is a writer for some major publications in the field such as Cyber War Zone, ICTTF, Infosec Island, Infosec Institute, The Hacker News Magazine and for many other Security magazines. Author of the Books "The Deep Dark Web" and “Digital Virtual Currency and Bitcoin”.