CVE-2013-4022 in Optim Performance Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Data Studio Web Console 3.x before 3.2, Optim Performance Manager 5.x before 5.2, InfoSphere Optim Configuration Manager 2.x before 2.2, and DB2 Recovery Expert 2.x store unspecified authentication information in a cookie, which allows remote authenticated users to bypass intended access restrictions via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/03/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-4022 represents a critical security flaw in several IBM enterprise data management products including Data Studio Web Console, Optim Performance Manager, InfoSphere Optim Configuration Manager, and DB2 Recovery Expert. This issue stems from the improper handling of authentication state within web applications, specifically through the insecure storage of authentication information in HTTP cookies. The vulnerability affects versions prior to the specified patches, creating a persistent security risk that undermines the integrity of access control mechanisms across these enterprise tools. The flaw manifests as a credential exposure issue that allows authenticated users to potentially bypass intended access restrictions through unspecified attack vectors that exploit the cookie-based authentication storage mechanism.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the web applications storing sensitive authentication tokens or session identifiers within HTTP cookies without adequate security measures. These cookies typically contain information that should remain confidential and protected from unauthorized access. When authentication information is stored in cookies without proper encryption, secure flags, orHttpOnly attributes, it creates opportunities for attackers to extract this data through various means. The vulnerability specifically affects the storage of unspecified authentication information, suggesting that the implementation may have stored session tokens, user identifiers, or other credential-related data within cookie structures that are accessible to malicious actors. This type of flaw aligns with CWE-384, which addresses the storage of sensitive information in cookies, and represents a classic session management weakness that violates fundamental web security principles.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it creates a persistent backdoor that can be exploited by remote authenticated users to gain unauthorized access to protected resources. Attackers who can intercept or manipulate these cookies can effectively impersonate legitimate users and bypass the normal authentication flow. This creates significant risk for enterprise environments where these tools are used for database management, performance monitoring, and configuration management. The vulnerability affects not just individual user sessions but potentially entire organizational access control frameworks, as compromised cookies can be reused across different sessions and time periods. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests that multiple exploitation techniques may be possible, including cookie theft through man-in-the-middle attacks, cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, or other cookie-based attack methodologies that align with ATT&CK technique T1548.001 for abuse of access tokens and session management.
Organizations utilizing affected IBM products should immediately implement comprehensive mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability. The primary recommendation involves applying the vendor-provided patches and updates that specifically address the cookie-based authentication storage issue. System administrators should also implement additional security controls including the enforcement of secure cookie attributes such as Secure, HttpOnly, and SameSite flags to prevent unauthorized access to session tokens. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual cookie access patterns and potential interception attempts. The implementation of multi-factor authentication and session timeout mechanisms can provide additional layers of protection. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any instances where these vulnerable applications are deployed and ensure that proper access controls are in place. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be performed to validate that the mitigations are effective and to identify any related vulnerabilities that may exist within the broader application ecosystem. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and cookie security policies to provide additional protection against exploitation attempts targeting these specific vulnerabilities.