Security Bulletin
Summary
Apache Tomcat is vulnerable to a denial of service, caused by an error in the Apache Commons FileUpload component, and is supplied with specific versions of Rational Lifecycle Integration Adapter for HP ALM. By sending file upload requests, an attacker could exploit this vulnerability to cause the server to become unresponsive.
Vulnerability Details
CVE Information:
CVE-ID: CVE-2016-3092
Description: Apache Tomcat is vulnerable to a denial of service, caused by an error in the Apache Commons FileUpload component. By sending file upload requests, an attacker could exploit this vulnerability to cause the server to become unresponsive.
CVSS Base Score: 5.300
CVSS Temporal Score: https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/114336 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:N/A:L)
Affected Products and Versions
IBM Rational Lifecycle Integration Adapter for HP ALM 1.1.2 and 1.1.2.1
Remediation/Fixes
The IBM Rational Lifecycle Integration Adapter can be updated with a corrected Tomcat by following the instructions below. This is only applicable to products deployed on Apache Tomcat. Be sure to upgrade all the components that your deployment uses.
Note: Rational Lifecycle Integration Adapter 1.1.x product modification may contain updated Tomcats, however 1.1.x iFixes typically do not update Tomcat.
NOTE: Apache Tomcat is only included by IBM Rational Lifecycle Integration Adapter version 1.1.2 and 1.1.2.1 Previous versions of the RLIA SE HP Adapter were released as WAR files only.
To obtain the latest Apache Tomcat, please visit the Apache Tomcat website and download versions 9.0.0M8, 8.0.36, or 7.0.70, respectively. Once the Tomcat is obtained, follow the instructions below to replace the existing Tomcat:
Upgrading Tomcat installation
1. Stop the Rational Lifecycle Integration Adapter server.
Note: The applications may be running in different application server instances or using a delegated converter.
2. Navigate to the original install directory and rename the Tomcat folder
<InstallDir>/server/tomcat
to
<InstallDir>/server/tomcat-Original
This will ensure that the original Tomcat is kept as a backup in the event a restore is required.
Example (Linux):
mv <InstallDir>/server/tomcat <InstallDir>/server/tomcat-Original
3. Unzip the new Tomcat file provided by support to the Installation directory.
Example (Linux): unzip <newInsallZip> -d <InstallDir>/server/tomcat/
4. Delete the following directories from the exploded archive:
<InstallDir>/server/tomcat/webapps/docs
<InstallDir>/server/tomcat/webapps/examples
<InstallDir>/server/tomcat/webapps/host-manager
<InstallDir>/server/tomcat/webapps/manager
5. Copy the Apache Tomcat SSL Keystore from the backup:
<InstallDir>/server/tomcat-Original/ibm-team-ssl.keystore
to
<InstallDir>/server/tomcat/ibm-team-ssl.keystore
6. Copy the Apache Tomcat Server configuration from the backup:
<InstallDir>/server/tomcat-Original/conf/server.xml
to
<InstallDir>/server/tomcat/conf/server.xml
7. Copy the HP Adapter WAR file from the backup:
<InstallDir>/server/tomcat-Original/webapps/hpqm.war
to
<InstallDir>/server/tomcat/webapps/hpqm.war
8. Restart the Rational Lifecycle Integration Adapter server
Workarounds and Mitigations
Workaround:
System administrators should restrict the permitted maximum size of HTTP request
header values (For example, Apache Httpd provides a
LimitRequestFieldSize directive,
and Apache Tomcat provides a maxHttpHeaderSize attribute in their respective
configuration files). A maximum header value size of 2048 bytes would block all
dangerous request.
Example:
File upload requests contain a so-called boundary in the Content-Type header:
Content-Type: multipart/mixed;
boundary=gc0p4Jq0M2Yt08jU534c0p
The boundary may be chosen by the request sender. In the case of
previous versions
of Apache Commons Fileupload the boundary becomes dangerous, if its
size is close
to 4096 bytes.
Get Notified about Future Security Bulletins
References
Acknowledgement
TERASOLUNA Framework Development Team at the Software Engineering,
Research and Development Headquarter, for detecting this flaw, and reporting
it to the JPCERT/CC,
Taki Uchiyama (JPCERT/CC Vulnerability Handling Team) reported this
problem to us.
*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:
17 June 2018
UID
swg21986069