Introduction
Remote attackers can gain arbitrary code execution on critical enterprise data transformation systems, potentially disrupting business operations and exposing sensitive data. CVE-2023-49886 highlights a severe Java deserialization flaw in IBM Standards Processing Engine 10.0.1.10, a core component of IBM Transformation Extender Advanced used globally for B2B data integration.
About IBM Standards Processing Engine: IBM is one of the world's largest enterprise software vendors, with a vast portfolio of integration, data processing, and middleware products. The Standards Processing Engine, as part of IBM Transformation Extender Advanced, is widely deployed in sectors like finance, healthcare, and manufacturing for automating and securing data transformation workflows. Its compromise can have significant operational and regulatory impact.
Technical Information
CVE-2023-49886 is caused by unsafe Java deserialization in IBM Standards Processing Engine 10.0.1.10. The vulnerability exists because the application deserializes untrusted input without proper validation or class restrictions. Attackers can craft malicious serialized Java objects and send them to the vulnerable system. During deserialization, gadget chains in the application's classpath can be abused to achieve arbitrary code execution.
- The vulnerability is classified as CWE-502: Deserialization of Untrusted Data.
- Exploitation is remote and does not require authentication or user interaction.
- No specific code snippets or configuration details have been made public.
The root cause is the application's failure to restrict or validate the types of objects that can be deserialized, allowing attackers to leverage existing classes for code execution. This is a well-known attack vector in Java enterprise applications and has been exploited in other products using similar mechanisms.
Affected Systems and Versions
- IBM Standards Processing Engine version 10.0.1.10 is affected.
- The vulnerability specifically impacts this version as per IBM's advisory.
- No information is available about other versions or specific configurations.
Vendor Security History
IBM Transformation Extender Advanced and related products have seen multiple security advisories in recent years:
- CVE-2023-49883: Weak password requirements
- CVE-2023-49881: Insufficient session expiration
- CVE-2024-47554: Resource consumption via Apache Commons IO
This pattern indicates ongoing challenges with secure development and code review in complex, legacy enterprise products. IBM typically issues coordinated security bulletins and patches, but organizations must remain vigilant in monitoring and updating their deployments.
