CVE-2024-31880 identifies a denial of service (DoS) vulnerability in IBM Db2 for Linux, UNIX, and Windows, including Db2 Connect Server, affecting versions 10.5, 11.1, and 11.5. The root cause is an allocation of resources without proper limits or throttling (CWE-770), which allows an authenticated user to send a specially crafted SQL statement that triggers excessive resource consumption, leading to a server crash. This vulnerability does not require user interaction beyond authentication and does not impact confidentiality or integrity, but it severely affects availability by causing the database server to become unresponsive. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.3 (medium severity), reflecting the network attack vector, high attack complexity, low privileges required, and no user interaction. No known exploits are currently in the wild, and IBM has not yet released patches. The vulnerability is particularly concerning for environments where Db2 servers handle critical workloads, as a crash could disrupt business operations and services dependent on database availability. The lack of throttling or resource limits means that even a single malicious or compromised authenticated user can cause significant disruption. Organizations should be aware of this vulnerability and prepare to apply fixes once available, while implementing interim controls to limit the risk.

For European organizations, the primary impact is on availability, as successful exploitation results in a denial of service by crashing the Db2 server. This can disrupt business-critical applications, data processing, and services relying on Db2 databases, potentially causing operational downtime and financial losses. Industries such as finance, telecommunications, healthcare, and public sector entities that rely heavily on IBM Db2 for transaction processing and data management are particularly vulnerable. The requirement for authentication limits the attack surface to internal or trusted users, but insider threats or compromised credentials could be leveraged to exploit this vulnerability. The medium severity rating indicates moderate risk, but the potential for service disruption in critical environments elevates the importance of timely mitigation. Additionally, the absence of patches means organizations must rely on compensating controls until IBM releases updates.

1. Restrict database access strictly to trusted and necessary users, enforcing the principle of least privilege to minimize the number of authenticated users who can execute SQL statements. 2. Monitor database resource usage and query patterns to detect abnormal or excessive resource consumption indicative of exploitation attempts. 3. Implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of Db2 servers to only essential systems and users. 4. Use database auditing and logging to track and review executed SQL statements for suspicious activity. 5. Prepare for rapid deployment of IBM patches once released by maintaining an up-to-date inventory of affected Db2 versions and testing updates in controlled environments. 6. Consider deploying query governor or resource governor features if available in Db2 to limit resource consumption per user or query. 7. Educate database administrators and security teams about this vulnerability to ensure prompt detection and response to potential incidents. 8. Review and tighten authentication mechanisms to reduce the risk of credential compromise.