NGSSoftware Insight Security Research Advisory

Name: Arbitrary Library Loading in Informix
Systems Affected: All versions of Informix
Severity: High
Vendor URL: http://www.ibm.com/ 
Author: David Litchfield [ davidl@ngssoftware.com ] 
Date of Public Advisory: 2nd August 2006
Advisory number: #NISR02082006C
CVEID: http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2006-3855 
Advisory URL: http://www.ngssoftware.com/research/ 

Description
***********
Informix Dynamic Server is a database developed by IBM. An attacker can 
force to the database server to load an arbitrary library and thus execute 
arbitrary code.


Details
*******
The ifx_load_internal SQL function can be used to load an arbitrary library 
into the address space of the database server process. By placing code in 
the DllMain() function on Windows or _init() on Linux an attacker can have 
this code execute automatically when the library is loaded. In conjunction 
with exploiting other flaws it is possible to remotely create a library over 
SQL, dump this to the server disk and then load it.

Fix Information
***************
IBM was alerted to this flaw on the 18th January 2005. Revoking execute 
permission on ifx_load_internal SQL function from public will remove the 
risk of exploitation of this issue.

NGSSQuirreL for Informix, an advanced vulnerability assessment scanner 
designed specifically for Informix, can be used to accurately determine 
whether your servers are vulnerable to this flaw. More information about 
NGSSQuirreL for Informix can be found here 
http://www.ngssoftware.com/products/database-security/ngs-squirrel-informix.php 

About NGSSoftware
*****************

NGSSoftware develops vulnerability assessment and compliancy tools for 
database servers including Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, DB2, Sybase and 
Informix. Headquartered in the United Kingdom NGS has offices in London, St. 
Andrews (UK), Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth (Australia) and Texas in the 
United States; NGSConsulting provide services to some of the largest and 
most demanding organizations around the globe.

http://www.ngssoftware.com/ 

Telephone +44 208 401 0070
Fax +44 208 401 0076

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