CVE-2010-3318 in Filenet Content Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Records Manager (RM) 4.5.x before 4.5.1.1-IER-FP001 transmits passwords in cleartext, which allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information by sniffing the network.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/04/2018
IBM Records Manager version 4.5.x before 4.5.1.1-IER-FP001 contains a critical security flaw that exposes authentication credentials during network communication. This vulnerability resides in the application's authentication mechanism where passwords are transmitted without encryption, making them susceptible to interception by malicious actors monitoring network traffic. The flaw represents a direct violation of security best practices and creates an avenue for credential theft that can lead to unauthorized system access and data compromise.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to employ secure communication protocols for authentication data transmission. When users authenticate to the IBM Records Manager system, their credentials are sent in plain text format across the network, typically over standard TCP/IP connections without encryption mechanisms such as TLS/SSL. This cleartext transmission pattern directly aligns with CWE-312, which categorizes the exposure of sensitive information in cleartext as a fundamental security weakness. Attackers with network access can utilize standard packet sniffing tools to capture these unencrypted credentials, effectively bypassing any application-level security controls that might otherwise protect the system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft to encompass broader security implications for organizations using IBM Records Manager. Remote attackers who successfully intercept these cleartext passwords can gain unauthorized access to records management systems, potentially leading to data breaches, information disclosure, and system compromise. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on IBM Records Manager for document management and records retention, particularly those operating in regulated environments where information security is paramount. This flaw undermines the confidentiality assurances that organizations expect from their records management systems and creates significant risk for compliance violations.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability by upgrading to IBM Records Manager 4.5.1.1-IER-FP001 or later versions that properly encrypt authentication data transmission. Network administrators should also consider implementing additional security controls such as network segmentation, intrusion detection systems, and mandatory encryption policies to reduce the attack surface. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following security frameworks like NIST SP 800-53 controls for secure communications and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046, which covers network service scanning that can be used to identify unencrypted communication channels. Organizations must also conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify other applications or services that may be transmitting sensitive data in cleartext and implement proper encryption mechanisms across their entire infrastructure to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in other systems.