Security Bulletin: Multiple vulnerabilities in OpenSSH affect IBM SAN Volume Controller, IBM Storwize, IBM Spectrum Virtualize and IBM FlashSystem products

Summary

Vulnerabilities in OpenSSH affect IBM SAN Volume Controller, IBM Storwize V7000, V5000, V3700 and V3500, IBM Spectrum Virtualize Software, IBM Spectrum Virtualize for Public Cloud and IBM FlashSystem V9000 products. OpenSSH is used in the Command Line Interface. The applicable CVEs are CVE-2016-6515 and CVE-2016-6210.

Vulnerability Details

CVEID: CVE-2016-6515**
DESCRIPTION:** OpenSSH is vulnerable to a denial of service, caused by the failure to limit password lengths for password authentication by the auth_password function. A remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability using an overly long string to consume all available CPU resources.
CVSS Base Score: 7.5
CVSS Temporal Score: See https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/115911 for the current score
CVSS Environmental Score*: Undefined
CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H)

CVEID: CVE-2016-6210**
DESCRIPTION:** OpenSSH could allow a remote attacker to obtain sensitive information, caused by the increased amount of time to calculate SHA256/SHA512 hash than BLOWFISH hash. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability using a covert timing channel to enumerate users on system that runs SSHD.
CVSS Base Score: 4.3
CVSS Temporal Score: See https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/115128 for the current score
CVSS Environmental Score*: Undefined
CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N)

Affected Products and Versions

IBM SAN Volume Controller
IBM Storwize V7000
IBM Storwize V5000
IBM Storwize V3700
IBM Storwize V3500
IBM FlashSystem V9000
IBM Spectrum Virtualize Software
IBM Spectrum Virtualize for Public Cloud

All products are affected when running supported versions 7.5 to 8.1.

Remediation/Fixes

IBM recommends that you fix this vulnerability by upgrading affected versions of IBM SAN Volume Controller, IBM Storwize V7000, V5000, V3700 and V3500, IBM FlashSystem V9000, IBM Spectrum Virtualize Software, and IBM Spectrum Virtualize for Public Cloud to the following code levels or higher:

7.7.1.9
7.8.1.6
8.1.1.2
8.1.2.1

Latest IBM SAN Volume Controller Code
Latest IBM Storwize V7000 Code
Latest IBM Storwize V5000 Code
Latest IBM Storwize V3700 Code
Latest IBM Storwize V3500 Code
Latest IBM FlashSystem V9000 Code
Latest IBM Spectrum Virtualize Software
Latest IBM Spectrum Virtualize for Public Cloud

For unsupported versions of the above products, IBM recommends upgrading to a fixed, supported version of code.

Workarounds and Mitigations

Although IBM recommends that you install a level of code with a fix for this vulnerability, you can mitigate, although not eliminate, your risk until you have done so by ensuring that all users who have access to the system are authenticated by another security system such as a firewall.