CVE-2020-4320 : What You Need to Know

IBM MQ Appliance and IBM MQ AMQP Channels 8.0, 9.0 LTS, 9.1 LTS, and 9.1 CD have a vulnerability that allows clients to bypass certificate-based restrictions. This CVE was published on June 15, 2020, with a CVSS base score of 5.3.

Understanding CVE-2020-4320

This CVE affects IBM MQ products, potentially leading to a denial of service due to improper client access control.

What is CVE-2020-4320?

IBM MQ products fail to properly enforce client access restrictions based on SSL certificate distinguished name settings, potentially allowing unauthorized clients to access the system.

The Impact of CVE-2020-4320

The vulnerability can result in a denial of service (DoS) attack, impacting the availability of the affected systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-4320

The vulnerability details and affected systems are outlined below.

Vulnerability Description

IBM MQ products do not correctly block or allow clients based on SSL certificate settings.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected Versions: 8.0, 9.0 LTS, 9.1 LTS, 9.1 CD
Products: IBM MQ Appliance and IBM MQ AMQP Channels

Exploitation Mechanism

Attack Complexity: High
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: Low
Exploit Code Maturity: Unproven
Availability Impact: High
Base Score: 5.3 (Medium Severity)

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2020-4320, follow the mitigation steps and best security practices provided below.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply official fixes provided by IBM to address the vulnerability.
Monitor and restrict access to affected systems.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch IBM MQ products to prevent security vulnerabilities.
Implement proper access controls and certificate management practices.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security bulletins and updates from IBM.
Apply patches promptly to secure the systems against known vulnerabilities.