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Security Bulletin: TLS padding vulnerability affects IBM WebSphere MQ (CVE-2014-8730)

Security Bulletin


Summary

Transport Layer Security (TLS) padding vulnerability via a POODLE (Padding Oracle On Downgraded Legacy Encryption) like attack affects IBM WebSphere MQ.

Vulnerability Details

CVE-ID: CVE-2014-8730

DESCRIPTION:

Product could allow a remote attacker to obtain sensitive information, caused by the failure to check the contents of the padding bytes when using CBC cipher suites of some TLS implementations. A remote user with the ability to conduct a man-in-the-middle attack could exploit this vulnerability via a POODLE (Padding Oracle On Downgraded Legacy Encryption) like attack to decrypt sensitive information and calculate the plaintext of secure connections.

CVSS Base Score: 4.3
CVSS Temporal Score: See https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/99216 for the current score
CVSS Environmental Score*: Undefined
CVSS Vector: (AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N)

Affected Products and Versions

All versions of IBM WebSphere MQ on AIX, HP-UX, Linux, Solaris & Windows platforms.

All versions of IBM WebSphere MQ Hypervisor Edition.

Note that IBM WebSphere MQ for IBM i is not affected by this vulnerability.

Remediation/Fixes

IBM WebSphere MQ Version 8

Apply fixpack 8.0.0.2

IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.5

Apply fixpack 7.5.0.5

IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.1

Apply fixpack 7.1.0.7

IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.0.1

Apply fixpack 7.0.1.13

Workarounds and Mitigations

IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.0.1 and earlier

Users should move to a Fix Pack level of 7.0.1.10 or later and ensure that GSKit 8 is enabled using the following instructions. The environment variable GSK_STRICTCHECK_CBCPADBYTES=GSK_TRUE must also be set at a system wide level to ensure that channels using the TLS protocol adhere to strict compliance of the TLS RFC.

Note that it is not necessary to set this environment variable in fixpack 7.0.1.13 or later maintenance levels.

IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.1

Users should move to a Fix Pack level of 7.1.0.3 or later. The environment variable GSK_STRICTCHECK_CBCPADBYTES=GSK_TRUE must be set at a system wide level to ensure that channels using the TLS protocol adhere to strict compliance of the TLS RFC.

Note that it is not necessary to set this environment variable in fixpack 7.1.0.7 or later maintenance levels.

IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.5

Users should move to a Fix Pack level of 7.5.0.1 or later. The environment variable GSK_STRICTCHECK_CBCPADBYTES=GSK_TRUE must be set at a system wide level to ensure that channels using the TLS protocol adhere to strict compliance of the TLS RFC.

Note that it is not necessary to set this environment variable in fixpack 7.5.0.5 or later maintenance levels.

IBM WebSphere MQ Version 8

The environment variable GSK_STRICTCHECK_CBCPADBYTES=GSK_TRUE must be set at a system wide level to ensure that channels using the TLS protocol adhere to strict compliance of the TLS RFC.

Note that it is not necessary to set this environment variable in fixpack 8.0.0.2 or later maintenance levels.


A restart of queue managers, listeners and applications is required to ensure the environment variable changes are effective.


You should verify applying this configuration change does not cause any compatibility issues.

Get Notified about Future Security Bulletins

References

Off

Acknowledgement

None

Change History

12th December 2014 - Original version published
12th December 2014 - Clarified IBM WebSphere MQ on IBM i operating system unaffected
15th December 2014 - Clarified that restart of MQ is required to pick up environment variable changes
27th February 2015 - Added link to 8.0.0.2 fixpack
13th July 2015 - Added link to 7.5.0.5 fixpack
14th August 2015 - Added link to 7.0.1.13 fixpack
27th November 2015 - Added link to 7.0.1.7 fixpack

*The CVSS Environment Score is customer environment specific and will ultimately impact the Overall CVSS Score. Customers can evaluate the impact of this vulnerability in their environments by accessing the links in the Reference section of this Security Bulletin.

Disclaimer

Review the IBM security bulletin disclaimer and definitions regarding your responsibilities for assessing potential impact of security vulnerabilities to your environment.

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Document Information

Modified date:
15 June 2018

UID

swg21692552