Security Bulletin: IBM Informix Dynamic Server in Cloud Pak for Data is vulnerable to denial of service and arbitrary code execution due to Apache Log4j (CVE-2021-45105, CVE-2021-45046)

Summary

Apache Log4j library (CVE-2021-45105, CVE-2021-45046) is used to provide logging functionality for IBM Informix Dynamic Server in Cloud Pak for Data (CP4D). The fix includes Apache Log4j 2.17.1.

Vulnerability Details

CVEID:CVE-2021-45105
**DESCRIPTION:**Apache Log4j is vulnerable to a denial of service, caused by the failure to protect from uncontrolled recursion from self-referential lookups. A remote attacker with control over Thread Context Map (MDC) input data could craft malicious input data that contains a recursive lookup to cause a StackOverflowError that will terminate the process. Note: The vulnerability is also called LOG4J2-3230.
CVSS Base score: 7.5
CVSS Temporal Score: See: https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/215647 for the current score.
CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H)

CVEID:CVE-2021-45046
**DESCRIPTION:**Apache Log4j could result in remote code execution, caused by an incomplete fix of CVE-2021-44228 in certain non-default configurations. When the logging configuration uses a non-default Pattern Layout with a Context Lookup, an attacker with control over Thread Context Map (MDC) input data can craft malicious input data using a JNDI Lookup pattern to leak sensitive information and remote code execution in some environments and local code execution in all environments.
CVSS Base score: 9
CVSS Temporal Score: See: https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/215195 for the current score.
CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H)

Affected Products and Versions

Remediation/Fixes

IBM strongly recommends addressing the vulnerability now by executing these manual steps.

1. Upgrade your IBM Informix Dynamic Server 4.0.0 deployments to 4.0.2
2. Install the Informix operator version 4.0.2 (included in the CASE ibm-informix-operator-bundle-4.0.3.tgz)
3. Navigate to the official documentation for the Informix CP4D service (<https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/cloud-paks/cp-data/4.0?topic=services-informix&gt;) and follow the steps in the “Upgrading Informix” to update any deployed Informix custom resource from 4.0.0 to 4.0.2

The Informix operator enables you to create Informix instances inside Cloud Pak for Data. The affected version of Log4j was used in one of micro-services deployed in the cluster when you deploy an Informix database instance within CP4D.

Workarounds and Mitigations

None