Unauthorized Database Creation Privilege on Informix

NGSSoftware Insight Security Research Advisory

Name: Unauthorized Database Creation Privilege on Informix
Systems Affected: 9.40.xC6 and earlier and 10.00.xC2, C1
Severity: High
Vendor URL: http://www.ibm.com/
Author: David Litchfield [ [email protected] ]
Date of Public Advisory: 2nd August 2006
Advisory number: #NISR02082006H
CVEID: http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2006-3861
Advisory URL: http://www.ngssoftware.com/research/

Description

Informix Dynamic Server is a database developed by IBM. During a security
assessment of Informix it was discovered that any user can create a database
and thus gain DBA privileges.

Details

On Informix public has the connect privilege; thus anyone with a login may
connect. Public can also issue the create database command. When the
database is created, the user that created the database is made a DBA of
that database. A DBA can execute code as the informix user and trivially
gain root privileges.

Fix Information

IBM was alerted to this flaw on the 13th January 2005. Patches have now been
made available; further a workaround is to add "DBCREATE_PERMISSION
username" to the ONCONFIG file where "username" is a list of comma seperated
users that can create databases.

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

[email protected]