CVE-2009-1289 in BladeCenter
Summary
by MITRE
private/login.ssi in the Advanced Management Module (AMM) on the IBM BladeCenter, including the BladeCenter H with BPET36H 54, allows remote attackers to discover the access roles and scopes of arbitrary user accounts via a modified WEBINDEX parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/05/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-1289 affects the Advanced Management Module (AMM) within IBM BladeCenter systems, specifically targeting the private/login.ssi component. This issue represents a significant information disclosure flaw that enables remote attackers to enumerate user account permissions and access scopes without authentication. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the web interface processing logic, where the WEBINDEX parameter is not adequately sanitized or validated before being processed. The affected systems include the BladeCenter H with BPET36H 54 model, though similar vulnerabilities may exist across other BladeCenter variants that utilize the same AMM architecture. This flaw operates at the application layer and can be exploited over network connections, making it particularly dangerous as it allows attackers to gather intelligence about system users and their respective access privileges without requiring any prior credentials or authorization.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of the WEBINDEX parameter within the private/login.ssi script, which is part of the web-based management interface for the BladeCenter system. When an attacker submits a modified WEBINDEX value, the system processes this parameter without proper validation checks, leading to the exposure of internal user role and scope information. This behavior violates fundamental security principles of input sanitization and access control enforcement. The vulnerability can be categorized under CWE-20 as "Improper Input Validation" and specifically relates to CWE-200 as "Information Exposure" since it reveals sensitive information about user accounts. The flaw essentially allows an attacker to perform reconnaissance activities that would normally require legitimate access to the system's management interface, effectively providing unauthorized users with valuable intelligence for potential further exploitation attempts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it enables attackers to map out the access control structure of the BladeCenter management system. By discovering the roles and scopes of arbitrary user accounts, an attacker gains significant insight into the system's security posture and can identify potential targets for privilege escalation or lateral movement within the network infrastructure. This vulnerability directly impacts the principle of least privilege and can facilitate more sophisticated attacks such as privilege escalation or account compromise. The exposure of user access scopes allows attackers to understand which accounts have administrative privileges, which may be critical for system management, and which accounts have limited access to specific functions. From an ATT&CK perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1087.001 "Account Discovery" and T1068 "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" as it provides the initial reconnaissance needed to identify potential targets for further exploitation. The impact is particularly severe in enterprise environments where BladeCenter systems manage critical infrastructure components.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-1289 should focus on immediate patching of affected systems with the vendor-provided security updates. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to BladeCenter management interfaces and restrict access based on need-to-know principles. Input validation should be strengthened at the application level to prevent parameter manipulation, with proper sanitization of all user-supplied input before processing. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can help monitor for suspicious parameter manipulation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar flaws in other management interfaces. The recommended approach aligns with NIST SP 800-53 security controls, particularly those related to access control and system monitoring. Organizations should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication for management interfaces and establishing strict access control policies for administrative accounts to reduce the overall attack surface and limit the potential impact of information disclosure vulnerabilities.