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Security Bulletin: Vulnerability in Apache Tomcat affects IBM Platform Symphony

Security Bulletin


Summary

This interim fix provides instructions on upgrading Apache Tomcat from v5.5.36 to v7.0.90 in IBM Platform Symphony 6.1.1 and from v6.0.43 to v8.5.32 in IBM Platform Symphony 7.1 Fix Pack 1 in order to address security vulnerability CVE-2018-8014 in Tomcat.

Vulnerability Details

CVE-ID: CVE-2018-8014
Description: Apache Tomcat could provide weaker than expected security, caused by insecure default settings for the CORS filter. A remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability to launch further attacks on the system.
CVSS Base Score: 5.3
CVSS Temporal Score: https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/143411 for more information
CVSS Environmental Score*: Undefined
CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N)

Affected Products and Versions

Platform Symphony 6.1.1
Platform Symphony 7.1 Fix Pack 1

Remediation/Fixes

Applicability
Operating systems: Linux2.6-glibc2.3-x86_64
Cluster type: Single grid cluster
Packages

Product APAR Remediation/First Fix
IBM Platform Symphony 6.1.1 P102656

sym6.1.1_lnx26-lib23-x64_build497567.tar.gz
IBM Platform Symphony 7.1 Fix Pack 1 P102656

sym7.1_lnx26-lib23-x64_build497568.tar.gz
Apache Tomcat 7.0.90 N/A

apache-tomcat-7.0.90.tar.gz
Apache Tomcat 8.5.32 N/A

apache-tomcat-8.5.32.tar.gz

For Platform Symphony 6.1.1

Optional prerequisite

For a Platform Symphony 6.1.1 cluster, you can optionally take advantage of a security service pack. To apply this interim fix along with the security service pack:

  1. Install the service pack (sym-6.1.1-spk-Security-build227853).

  2. Apply this interim fix (sym6.1.1_lnx26-lib23-x64_build497567.tar.gz) to your cluster.

If you do not want to apply the 6.1.1 security service pack, proceed to directly apply this interim fix to your cluster.

Installation

  1. Log on to the primary management host as the cluster administrator and stop the WEBGUI service:
    > egosh user logon -u Admin -x Admin
    > source $EGO_TOP/cshrc.platform
    > egosh service stop WEBGUI

  2. Log on to each management host in the cluster and back up the following files for recovery purposes:
    $EGO_TOP/gui/1.2.8/tomcat/
    $EGO_CONFDIR/../../gui/conf/catalina.policy
    $EGO_CONFDIR/../../gui/conf/catalina.properties
    $EGO_CONFDIR/../../gui/conf/server.xml
    $EGO_TOP/gui/ego/1.2.8/platform/WEB-INF/web.xml
    $EGO_TOP/gui/is/6.1.1/isgui/WEB-INF/web.xml
    $EGO_TOP/gui/perf/1.2.8/perfgui/WEB-INF/web.xml
    $EGO_TOP/gui/soam/6.1.1/symgui/WEB-INF/web.xml
    $EGO_TOP/gui/soam/6.1.1/soamgui/WEB-INF/web.xml

  3. On each management host, copy the apache-tomcat-7.0.90.tar.gz package to a temporary folder and decompress the file:
    > cp apache-tomcat-7.0.90.tar.gz /tmp
    > tar zxvf apache-tomcat-7.0.90.tar.gz
    > rm -rf apache-tomcat-7.0.90/conf/
    > rm -rf apache-tomcat-7.0.90/work/
    > rm -rf apache-tomcat-7.0.90/logs/

  4. Copy the Tomcat folder:
    > rm -rf $EGO_TOP/gui/1.2.8/tomcat
    > cp -rf apache-tomcat-7.0.90 $EGO_TOP/gui/1.2.8/tomcat

  5. Copy the sym6.1.1_lnx26-lib23-x64_build497567.tar.gz package and decompress it:
    > tar zxfo sym6.1.1_lnx26-lib23-x64_build497567.tar.gz -C $EGO_TOP

  6. If you ran the “egoconfig mghost shared_dir” command during installation to set up a shared location for configuration files, ensure that the configuration file is changed in the shared directory:
    > cp $EGO_TOP/gui/conf/catalina.policy $EGO_CONFDIR/../../gui/conf/catalina.policy
    > cp $EGO_TOP/gui/conf/catalina.properties $EGO_CONFDIR/../../gui/conf/catalina.properties
    > cp $EGO_TOP/gui/conf/server.xml $EGO_CONFDIR/../../gui/conf/server.xml

  7. If you modified the $EGO_CONFDIR/../../gui/conf/server.xml configuration file for details such as the GUI service port, manually redo those changes.

  8. Edit the web.xml files to add the following configuration:

    1. Edit each of the following files:
      $EGO_TOP/gui/ego/1.2.8/platform/WEB-INF/web.xml
      $EGO_TOP/gui/is/6.1.1/isgui/WEB-INF/web.xml
      $EGO_TOP/gui/perf/1.2.8/perfgui/WEB-INF/web.xml
      $EGO_TOP/gui/soam/6.1.1/symgui/WEB-INF/web.xml
      $EGO_TOP/gui/soam/6.1.1/soamgui/WEB-INF/web.xml

    2. Find the “<servlet-name>dwr-invoker</servlet-name>” line in the “</servlet>” section and add the following configuration:
      <init-param>
      <param-name>crossDomainSessionSecurity</param-name>
      <param-value>false</param-value>
      </init-param>
      For example:
       <servlet>
           <servlet-name>dwr-invoker</servlet-name>
           <servlet-class>org.directwebremoting.servlet.DwrServlet</servlet-class>
                <init-param>
                    <param-name>debug</param-name>
                    <param-value>true</param-value>
                </init-param>
                <init-param>
                     <param-name>crossDomainSessionSecurity</param-name>
                                         <param-value>false</param-value>
                       </init-param>
            </servlet>

  9. On each management host, delete all subdirectories and files in the gui/work directory:
    > rm -rf $EGO_TOP/gui/work/*

  10. On all client hosts, open your web browser and clear the browser cache.

  11. Start the WEBGUI service:
    > source $EGO_TOP/cshrc.platform
    > egosh service start WEBGUI

  12. In the $EGO_TOP/gui/logs/catalina.out file, check whether the GUI version indicates version 7.0.90:
    INFO: Server version:        Apache Tomcat/7.0.90

Uninstallation

Follow the instructions in this section to uninstall this update in your cluster, if required.

  1. Log on to the primary management host as the cluster administrator and stop the WEBGUI service:
    > egosh user logon -u Admin -X Admin
    > source $EGO_TOP/cshrc.platform
    > egosh service stop WEBGUI

  2. On each management host, restore the backup files:

    1. Remove the Tomcat folder, which was introduced by this interim fix:
      > rm -rf $EGO_TOP/gui/1.2.8/tomcat

    2. Restore the following folders and files from your backup:
      $EGO_TOP/gui/1.2.8/tomcat/
      $EGO_CONFDIR/../../gui/conf/catalina.policy
      $EGO_CONFDIR/../../gui/conf/catalina.properties
      $EGO_CONFDIR/../../gui/conf/server.xml
      $EGO_TOP/gui/ego/1.2.8/platform/WEB-INF/web.xml
      $EGO_TOP/gui/is/6.1.1/isgui/WEB-INF/web.xml
      $EGO_TOP/gui/perf/1.2.8/perfgui/WEB-INF/web.xml
      $EGO_TOP/gui/soam/6.1.1/symgui/WEB-INF/web.xml
      $EGO_TOP/gui/soam/6.1.1/soamgui/WEB-INF/web.xml

  3. Delete all subdirectories and files in the following directory:
    > rm -rf $EGO_TOP/gui/work/*

  4. On all client hosts, open your web browser and clear the browser cache.

  5. Start the WEBGUI service:
    > source $EGO_TOP/cshrc.platform
    > egosh service start WEBGUI

For Platform Symphony 7.1 Fix Pack 1

Installation

  1. Log on to the primary management host as the cluster administrator and stop the WEBGUI service:
    > egosh user logon -u Admin -x Admin
    > source $EGO_TOP/cshrc.platform
    > egosh service stop WEBGUI

  2. Log on to each management host in the cluster and back up the following files for recovery purposes:
    $EGO_TOP/gui/3.1/tomcat/
    $EGO_CONFDIR/../../gui/conf/catalina.policy
    $EGO_CONFDIR/../../gui/conf/catalina.properties
    $EGO_CONFDIR/../../gui/conf/server.xml$EGO_TOP/gui/ego/3.1/platform/WEB-INF/web.xml
    $EGO_TOP/gui/is/7.1/isgui/WEB-INF/web.xml
    $EGO_TOP/gui/perf/3.1/perfgui/WEB-INF/web.xml
    $EGO_TOP/gui/soam/7.1/soamgui/WEB-INF/web.xml
    $EGO_TOP/gui/soam/7.1/symgui/WEB-INF/web.xml

  3. Copy the apache-tomcat-8.5.32.tar.gz package to a temporary folder and decompress the file:
    > cp apache-tomcat-8.5.32.tar.gz /tmp
    > tar zxvf apache-tomcat-8.5.32.tar.gz
    > rm -rf apache-tomcat-8.5.32/conf/
    > rm -rf apache-tomcat-8.5.32/work/
    > rm -rf apache-tomcat-8.5.32/logs/

  4. Copy the Tomcat folder:
    > rm -rf $EGO_TOP/gui/3.1/tomcat
    > cp -rf apache-tomcat-8.5.32 $EGO_TOP/gui/3.1/tomcat

  5. Copy the sym7.1_lnx26-lib23-x64_build497568.tar.gz package and decompress it:
    > tar zxfo sym7.1_lnx26-lib23-x64_build497568.tar.gz -C $EGO_TOP

  6. If you ran the “egoconfig mghost shared_dir” command during installation to set up a shared location for configuration files, ensure that the configuration file is changed in the shared directory:
    > cp $EGO_TOP/gui/conf/catalina.policy $EGO_CONFDIR/../../gui/conf/catalina.policy
    > cp $EGO_TOP/gui/conf/catalina.properties $EGO_CONFDIR/../../gui/conf/catalina.properties
    > cp $EGO_TOP/gui/conf/server.xml $EGO_CONFDIR/../../gui/conf/server.xml

  7. If you modified the $EGO_CONFDIR/../../gui/conf/server.xml configuration file for details such as the GUI service port, manually redo those changes.

  8. Edit the web.xml files to add the following configuration:

    1. Edit each of the following files:
      $EGO_TOP/gui/ego/3.1/platform/WEB-INF/web.xml
      $EGO_TOP/gui/is/7.1/isgui/WEB-INF/web.xml
      $EGO_TOP/gui/perf/3.1/perfgui/WEB-INF/web.xml
      $EGO_TOP/gui/soam/7.1/symgui/WEB-INF/web.xml
      $EGO_TOP/gui/soam/7.1/soamgui/WEB-INF/web.xml

    2. Find the “<servlet-name>dwr-invoker</servlet-name>” line in the “</servlet>” section and add the following configuration:
      <init-param>
              <param-name>crossDomainSessionSecurity</param-name>
             <param-value>false</param-value>
      </init-param>
      For example:
      <servlet>
          <servlet-name>dwr-invoker</servlet-name>
          <servlet-class>org.directwebremoting.servlet.DwrServlet</servlet-class>
                              <init-param>
                       <param-name>debug</param-name>
                   <param-value>true</param-value>
                 </init-param>
                <init-param>
                   <param-name>crossDomainSessionSecurity</param-name>
                   <param-value>false</param-value>
                </init-para      m>
      </servlet>

  9. On each management host, delete all subdirectories and files in the following directory:
    > rm -rf $EGO_TOP/gui/work/*

  10. On all client hosts, open your web browser and clear the browser cache.

  11. Start the WEBGUI service:
    > source $EGO_TOP/cshrc.platform
    > egosh service start WEBGUI

  12. In the $EGO_TOP/gui/logs/catalina.out file, check whether the GUI version indicates version 8.5.32:
    INFO: Server version:        Apache Tomcat/8.5.32

Uninstallation

Follow the instructions in this section to uninstall this update in your cluster, if required.

  1. Log on to the primary management host as the cluster administrator and stop the WEBGUI service:
    > egosh user logon -u Admin -x Admin
    > source $EGO_TOP/cshrc.platform
    > egosh service stop WEBGUI

  2. On each management host, restore the backup files:

    1. Remove the Tomcat folder, which was introduced by this interim fix:
      > rm -rf $EGO_TOP/gui/3.1/tomcat

    2. Restore the following folders and files from your backup:
      $EGO_TOP/gui/3.1/tomcat
      $EGO_CONFDIR/../../gui/conf/catalina.policy
      $EGO_CONFDIR/../../gui/conf/catalina.properties
      $EGO_CONFDIR/../../gui/conf/server.xml
      $EGO_TOP/gui/ego/3.1/platform/WEB-INF/web.xml
      $EGO_TOP/gui/is/7.1/isgui/WEB-INF/web.xml
      $EGO_TOP/gui/perf/3.1/perfgui/WEB-INF/web.xml
      $EGO_TOP/gui/soam/7.1/soamgui/WEB-INF/web.xml
      $EGO_TOP/gui/soam/7.1/symgui/WEB-INF/web.xml

  3. Delete all subdirectories and files in the following directory:
    > rm -rf $EGO_TOP/gui/work/*

  4. On all client hosts, open your web browser and clear the browser cache.

  5. Start the WEBGUI service:
    > source $EGO_TOP/cshrc.platform
    > egosh service start WEBGUI

Workarounds and Mitigations

None

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References

Complete CVSS v3 Guide
On-line Calculator v3

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Related Information

IBM Secure Engineering Web Portal
IBM Product Security Incident Response Blog

Acknowledgement

None

Change History

26 July 2018: Original version published

*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.

[{"Business Unit":{"code":"BU059","label":"IBM Software w\/o TPS"},"Product":{"code":"SSGSMK","label":"Platform Symphony"},"Component":"","Platform":[{"code":"PF016","label":"Linux"}],"Version":"6.1.1;7.1 Fix Pack 1","Edition":"","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB10","label":"Data and AI"}}]

Document Information

Modified date:
01 September 2021

UID

ibm10718917

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