CVE-2002-1731 in AS400
Summary
by MITRE
The System Request menu in IBM AS/400 allows local users to list valid user accounts by viewing the object names that are type USRPRF.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/22/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1731 resides within the IBM AS/400 system's System Request menu functionality, representing a significant information disclosure weakness that undermines system security posture. This flaw specifically affects the authorization and access control mechanisms of IBM's mid-range business computing platform, where local users can exploit a design oversight to enumerate valid user accounts through the object naming structure. The vulnerability manifests when users access the system request menu and examine object names of type USRPRF, which are specifically designated for user profile objects within the IBM AS/400 environment.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls and object visibility restrictions within the system's request menu interface. When local users interact with the system request menu, they can traverse the object directory structure and observe objects classified as USRPRF, which contain user profile information including usernames and account details. This occurs because the system does not adequately restrict access to these specific object types through the request menu interface, allowing unauthorized enumeration of legitimate user accounts without proper authentication or authorization. The flaw essentially provides an information disclosure mechanism that bypasses normal access control checks, enabling attackers to gather intelligence about valid system users.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for IBM AS/400 environments as it enables attackers to compile comprehensive lists of valid user accounts that can subsequently be targeted for brute force attacks, credential harvesting, or social engineering operations. The enumeration capability provides attackers with precise information about system users, including their account names and potentially associated profile details, which significantly reduces the complexity of subsequent attack phases. This information disclosure vulnerability can be leveraged as a reconnaissance tool in broader attack campaigns, particularly when combined with other exploitation techniques that target weak passwords or authentication mechanisms.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses information disclosure issues in software systems, and represents a classic case of insufficient access control where system objects are exposed beyond their intended security boundaries. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this weakness maps to techniques involving credential access and reconnaissance, specifically leveraging system information gathering capabilities to identify valid accounts for further exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates a failure in the principle of least privilege, where users with minimal system access can obtain sensitive information about system users that should remain confidential.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of access control restrictions on the system request menu functionality, particularly limiting the visibility of USRPRF objects to authorized administrative users only. System administrators should review and configure appropriate authorization levels for the system request menu, ensuring that local users cannot enumerate user profiles through object browsing. Regular security audits of system request menu configurations and object visibility settings should be conducted to prevent similar information disclosure issues. Additionally, implementing proper logging and monitoring of system request menu usage can help detect unauthorized enumeration attempts, while comprehensive user access reviews ensure that only authorized personnel maintain access to sensitive system information. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining strict separation between operational and administrative access levels within enterprise computing environments.