Multiple Vendor SOAP server (XML parser) attribute blowup DoS

[Amit Klein <Amit.Klein () SanctumInc com>]

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-----[ Multiple Vendor SOAP server (XML parser) attribute blowup DoS
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--[ Author: Amit Klein, Sanctum inc. http://www.SanctumInc.com

--[ Vendors alerted: August 28th, 2003

--[ Release Date: December 9th, 2003

--[ Products:

IBM WebSphere 5.0.0, 5.0.1, 5.0.2, 5.0.2.1

Microsoft ASP.NET Web Services (.NET framework 1.0, .NET framework 1.1)

Macromedia ColdFusion MX 6.0, 6.1

Macromedia JRun 4

... And probably other products which use XML parsers

--[ Severity: High

--[ CVE: N/A

--[ Description

An attacker can craft a malicious SOAP request, which uses XML 
attributes in a way that
inflicts a denial of service condition on the target machine (SOAP server).
The result of this attack is that the XML parser consumes all the CPU 
resources
for a long period of time (from seconds to minutes, depending on the 
size of the payload).
In our experiments, we were able to send attacks (of few hunderd KBs) 
that caused the target
machines to consume 100% CPU for several minutes.

--[ Solution

IBM WebSphere - Download and apply IBM patch PQ81278 from the following URL:
http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=180&context=SSEQTP&q=PQ81278&uid=swg24005943

Microsoft ASP.NET Web Services - Microsoft is aware of the issue, and 
has documented
recommended practices for what customers should consider when exposing 
Web service endpoints
in Knowledge Base Article 832878 
(http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=832878)

Macromedia - please follow the instructions of MPSB03-07, in the 
following URL:
http://www.macromedia.com/devnet/security/security_zone/mpsb03-07.html