CVE-2013-5416 in Rational ClearCase
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in IBM Rational ClearCase through 7.1.2.12, 8.0.0.x before 8.0.0.9, and 8.0.1.x before 8.0.1.2 allows local users to gain privileges via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/11/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-5416 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within IBM Rational ClearCase software versions ranging from 7.1.2.12 and earlier through 8.0.0.x before 8.0.0.9, as well as 8.0.1.x before 8.0.1.2. This unspecified weakness exists within the software's privilege management mechanisms, creating potential pathways for local attackers to elevate their system access rights. The vulnerability's classification as local privilege escalation indicates that an attacker must already have access to the system, typically through legitimate user credentials, but can then exploit this flaw to gain elevated privileges that would normally require administrative access.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under the category of privilege escalation attacks, which are categorized as CWE-264 in the Common Weakness Enumeration system. This weakness represents a fundamental flaw in the software's access control implementation where the system fails to properly enforce authorization checks during privilege elevation operations. The unspecified vectors suggest that the vulnerability could stem from various underlying causes including improper access control checks, insecure privilege management code, or flawed authentication mechanisms within the ClearCase software architecture. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability could potentially execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges, compromising the integrity and confidentiality of the system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it creates a persistent security risk for organizations using affected ClearCase versions. Local users with minimal system access could leverage this flaw to gain administrative privileges, potentially leading to complete system compromise. This risk is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where ClearCase is used for version control and collaboration, as it could allow attackers to modify source code, access sensitive data, or establish persistent backdoors. The vulnerability affects multiple major releases of ClearCase, indicating a widespread issue that would require organizations to upgrade across several version lines to achieve proper protection.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches and updates released by IBM to address this vulnerability. The recommended approach involves upgrading to the patched versions of ClearCase 8.0.0.9, 8.0.1.2, and the appropriate 7.1.2.12 releases. System administrators should also consider implementing additional security controls such as restricting local user access, monitoring for suspicious privilege escalation attempts, and conducting regular security assessments of ClearCase installations. The mitigation strategy should align with ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques, specifically targeting T1068 which covers "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" and requires organizations to monitor and control user access rights effectively. Network segmentation and least privilege principles should be enforced to limit the potential impact of any successful exploitation attempts.