Security Bulletin: Avoiding Weak SSL/TLS Encryption in IBM System x and Flex Systems (CVE-2013-4030)

Summary

Encryption with symmetric keys shorter than 128 bits is considered more vulnerable to attack than encryption with keys 128 bits or longer. Several SSL/TLS cipher suites include encryption with keys shorter than 128 bits.

Vulnerability Details

Abstract

Encryption with symmetric keys shorter than 128 bits is considered more vulnerable to attack than encryption with keys 128 bits or longer. Several SSL/TLS cipher suites include encryption with keys shorter than 128 bits.

Content

Vulnerability Details:

CVE ID: CVE-2013-4030

DESCRIPTION:
Encryption with symmetric keys shorter than 128 bits is considered more vulnerable to attack than encryption with keys 128 bits or longer. Several SSL/TLS cipher suites include encryption with keys shorter than 128 bits.

CVSS:
CVSS Base Score: 4.3
CVSS Temporal Score: See <http://xforce.iss.net/xforce/xfdb/86068&gt; for the current score
CVSS Environmental Score*: Undefined
CVSS Vector: (AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N)

Affected products and versions

List the affected versions/releases/platforms, as best possible.

• Flex System x220 Compute Node, Types 7906,2585, any model
• Flex System x240 Compute Node, Types 8737,8738,7863, any model
• Flex System x440 Compute Node, Type 7917, any model
• Flex System Manager Node, Types 7955,8731,8734, any model ((IMM2 device on this node)
• System x3100 M4, Type 2582, any model
• System x3250 M4,Type 2583, any model
• System x3300 M4, Type 7382, any model
• System x3500 M4, Type 7383, any model
• System x3530 M4, Type 7160, any model
• System x3550 M4, Type 7914, any model
• System x3630 M4, Type 7158, any model
• System x3630 M4 HD, Type 5466, any model
• System x3650 M4, Type 7915, any model
• System x3650 M4 HD, Type 5460, any model
• System x3750 M4, Types 8722,8733,8752, any model
• iDataPlex dx360 M4, Types 7912,7913, any model
• System x iDataPlex Direct Water Cooled dx360 M4 server, Types 7918,7919, any model
• BladeCenter HS23, Types 7875,1929, any model
• BladeCenter HS23E, Types 8038,8039, any model
• IBM System x3500 M2, Type 7839, any model
• IBM System x3500 M3, Type 7380, any model
• IBM System x3550 M2, Type 4198, any model
• IBM System x3550 M2, Type 7946, any model
• IBM System x3550 M3, Type 4254, any model
• IBM System x3550 M3, Type 7944, any model
• IBM System x3630 M3, Type 7377, any model
• IBM System x3650 M2, Type 4199, any model
• IBM System x3650 M2, Type 7947, any model
• IBM System x3650 M3, Type 4255, any model
• IBM System x3650 M3, Type 5454, any model
• IBM System x3650 M3, Type 7945, any model
• IBM System x3690 X5, Type 7147, any model
• IBM System x3690 X5, Type 7148, any model
• IBM System x3690 X5, Type 7149, any model
• IBM System x3690 X5, Type 7192, any model
• IBM System x3850 X5, Type 7143, any model
• IBM System x3850 X5, Type 7145, any model
• IBM System x3850 X5, Type 7146, any model
• IBM System x3850 X5, Type 7191, any model
• IBM System x3950 X5, Type 7143, any model
• IBM System x3950 X5, Type 7145, any model

Remediation:

IBM recommends updating to the following firmware level or later. Firmware updates are available through IBM Fix Central.

In the above IMM2 versions, SSL/TLS cipher suites with encryption keys shorter than 128 bits are not used in any configuration.

For the IMM1, in addition to updating to the recommended firmware version, the following configuration change is required using one of the two options described below:

Through the IMM web interface, on the IMM Security page, select “High Security Mode” in the “Cryptography Management” section.

-OR-

Use the following ASU command: asu set imm.ssl_cipher “high security mode”

After configuration change, restart the IMM for the configuration to take effect.

Workaround(s) & Mitigation(s):

None

References:

• Complete CVSS Guide
• On-line Calculator V2
• <http://xforce.iss.net/xforce/xfdb/86068&gt;

Related Information:
IBM Secure Engineering Web Portal
IBM Product Security Incident Response Blog

Acknowledgement
None

Change History
10 September 2013: Original copy published
10 January 2014: Added information regarding additional affected products
13 June 2014: Added additional product fix available

*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 Flash.

Note: According to the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST), the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) is an “industry open standard designed to convey vulnerability severity and help to determine urgency and priority of response.” IBM PROVIDES THE CVSS SCORES “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. CUSTOMERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF ANY ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL SECURITY VULNERABILITY.