Security Bulletin: Vulnerabilities in OpenSSH affect the IBM FlashSystem models 840 and 900

Summary

There are vulnerabilities in OpenSSH which the IBM FlashSystem™ V840 is susceptible. An exploit of these vulnerabilities (CVE-2016-6515 and CVE-2016-6210) could make the system susceptible to attacks which could allow an attacker to consume all available CPU resources or to enumerate users on systems that run SSHD.

Vulnerability Details

CVEID: CVE-2016-6515 DESCRIPTION: OpenSSH is vulnerable to a denial of service, caused by the failure to limit password lengths for password authentication by the auth_password function. A remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability using an overly long string to consume all available CPU resources.
CVSS Base Score: 7.5
CVSS Temporal Score: See https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/115911 for the current score
CVSS Environmental Score*: Undefined
CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H)

CVEID: CVE-2016-6210 DESCRIPTION: OpenSSH could allow a remote attacker to obtain sensitive information, caused by the increased amount of time to calculate SHA256/SHA512 hash than BLOWFISH hash. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability using a covert timing channel to enumerate users on system that runs SSHD.
CVSS Base Score: 4.3
CVSS Temporal Score: See https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/115128 for the current score
CVSS Environmental Score*: Undefined
CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N)

Affected Products and Versions

FlashSystem 840 machine type and models (MTMs) affected include 9840-AE1 and 9843-AE1.
FlashSystem 900 MTMs affected include 9840-AE2 and 9843-AE2.

Supported code versions which are affected

• VRMFs prior to 1.3.0.10
• VRMFs prior to 1.4.8.0
• VRMFs prior to 1.5.1.0

Remediation/Fixes

MTMs

| VRMF| APAR| Remediation/First Fix
—|—|—|—
FlashSystem****840 MTM:
9840-AE1 &9843-AE1

**FlashSystem 900 MTMs:**9840-AE2 &9843-AE2| Code fixes are now available, the minimum VRMF containing the fix depends on the code stream:_ _
__Fixed Code VRMF __
1.5 stream: 1.5.1.0
_1.4 stream: 1.4.8.0 _
1.3 stream: 1.3.0.10| _ N/A| FlashSystem 840 fixes****and FlashSystem 900 fixes****are available @ IBM’s Fix Central _

Workarounds and Mitigations

Customers running the 1.3 code version should be aware that 1.3.0.10 is the last planned release for the 1.3 code stream and that it will no longer be supported from a security fix point of view going forward. These customers should consider upgrading to either 1.4.8.0 or 1.5.1.0 to pick up these security fixes in these newer code streams which will continue to be supported.