CVE-2018-1656 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

IBM Java Runtime Environment (IBM SDK, Java Technology Edition) versions 6.0, 7.0, and 8.0 are vulnerable to path traversal attacks during the extraction of compressed dump files.

Understanding CVE-2018-1656

The Diagnostic Tooling Framework for Java (DTFJ) in the IBM Java Runtime Environment is susceptible to path traversal attacks.

What is CVE-2018-1656?

The vulnerability allows attackers to perform path traversal attacks when extracting compressed dump files in the IBM Java Runtime Environment.

The Impact of CVE-2018-1656

CVSS Base Score: 7.4 (High)
CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.0/A:N/AC:L/AV:N/C:N/I:H/PR:N/S:C/UI:R/E:U/RC:C/RL:O
Severity: High impact with low attack complexity and no confidentiality impact

Technical Details of CVE-2018-1656

The technical aspects of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The IBM Java Runtime Environment's Diagnostic Tooling Framework for Java does not protect against path traversal attacks during the extraction of compressed dump files.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: SDK, Java Technology Edition
Vendor: IBM
Affected Versions: 6.0, 7.0, 8.0

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by manipulating paths during the extraction of compressed dump files.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protective measures to address the vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply official fixes provided by IBM
Monitor IBM's security advisories for updates

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement secure coding practices to prevent path traversal vulnerabilities
Regularly update and patch the Java Runtime Environment
Conduct security assessments and audits to identify and mitigate similar vulnerabilities

Patching and Updates

Apply official fixes and patches released by IBM to address the vulnerability