CVE-2008-7299 in Tivoli Federated Identity Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Tivoli Federated Identity Manager (TFIM) 6.2.0 before 6.2.0.2 uses an incomplete SAML 1.x browser-artifact, which allows remote OpenID providers to spoof assertions via vectors related to the Issuer field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/17/2018
IBM Tivoli Federated Identity Manager version 6.2.0 before 6.2.0.2 contains a critical security vulnerability in its implementation of SAML 1.x browser-artifact profile that enables remote OpenID providers to forge authentication assertions. This vulnerability stems from an incomplete implementation of the SAML 1.x protocol specification, specifically within the browser-artifact binding mechanism that is used to transmit SAML assertions between identity providers and service providers. The flaw manifests when the system fails to properly validate the Issuer field in SAML assertions, allowing malicious actors to manipulate this field to impersonate legitimate identity providers.
The technical nature of this vulnerability places it squarely within CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation, and more specifically relates to CWE-347, concerning improper verification of cryptographic signatures. The incomplete SAML 1.x browser-artifact implementation creates a path for attackers to exploit the trust relationship between the identity provider and service provider by crafting forged assertions that appear to originate from legitimate sources. When the TFIM system processes these manipulated SAML assertions, it accepts them without sufficient validation of the Issuer field, thereby enabling unauthorized access to protected resources.
This vulnerability operates at the intersection of multiple attack vectors described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly under the T1566 technique for credential access through valid accounts and T1078 for valid accounts and T1562 for impeding defenses through protocol manipulation. The operational impact is severe as it allows remote attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms entirely, potentially granting them access to sensitive enterprise resources and data that should only be accessible through proper authentication. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to applications and services that rely on TFIM for identity federation, effectively undermining the entire single sign-on infrastructure.
Organizations utilizing IBM Tivoli Federated Identity Manager 6.2.0 before 6.2.0.2 should immediately implement the vendor-provided security patch that addresses the incomplete SAML 1.x browser-artifact implementation. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing additional monitoring controls to detect anomalous SAML assertion patterns and validate Issuer field integrity. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of the updated system to ensure that the fix does not introduce regressions in existing federation workflows. Security teams should also review and strengthen their identity provider trust relationships, implementing additional validation mechanisms beyond the default SAML assertion processing to create layered defense against similar protocol-level vulnerabilities.