CVE-2013-5468 in Algo One
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Algo One, as used in MetaData Management Tools in UDS 4.7.0 through 5.0.0, ACSWeb in Algo Security Access Control Management 4.7.0 through 4.9.0, and ACSWeb in AlgoWebApps 5.0.0, does not encrypt login requests, which allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information by sniffing the network.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/28/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-5468 represents a critical security flaw in IBM Algo One implementations across multiple security management platforms including UDS 4.7.0 through 5.0.0, ACSWeb in Algo Security Access Control Management 4.7.0 through 4.9.0, and ACSWeb in AlgoWebApps 5.0.0. This weakness stems from the improper handling of authentication credentials during network transmission, creating a significant exposure point for malicious actors who can intercept and decode sensitive login information. The vulnerability specifically affects the transmission of login requests without adequate encryption mechanisms, leaving authentication data susceptible to network sniffing attacks that can be executed by remote adversaries with minimal technical expertise.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the absence of secure communication protocols during the authentication process. When users attempt to log into the affected systems, their credentials are transmitted in plaintext format over the network without encryption, making them visible to anyone who can capture network traffic. This flaw directly violates fundamental security principles and aligns with CWE-312, which addresses the exposure of sensitive information through improper encryption or lack thereof. The vulnerability creates a pathway for attackers to obtain sensitive information including usernames, passwords, and potentially other authentication tokens that could be used to gain unauthorized access to protected systems and data resources.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-5468 extends beyond simple credential theft, as it fundamentally undermines the security posture of organizations relying on these platforms for access control and metadata management. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can perform credential stuffing attacks, conduct pass-the-hash operations, or escalate privileges within the affected systems. The implications are particularly severe for environments where these tools are deployed for security management, as compromised credentials could provide attackers with elevated privileges to control access policies and potentially bypass other security controls. This vulnerability also creates opportunities for lateral movement within networks where compromised credentials might be used to access additional systems, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including mandatory encryption for all authentication traffic, deployment of network monitoring solutions to detect potential credential interception attempts, and implementation of multi-factor authentication to reduce the impact of compromised passwords. The remediation process should involve upgrading to patched versions of the affected software components, configuring secure communication protocols such as TLS for all authentication endpoints, and conducting comprehensive network security assessments to identify any potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, security teams should establish monitoring procedures for anomalous authentication patterns and implement network segmentation to limit the potential impact of credential compromise. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure communication practices in security management platforms and highlights the necessity of following industry standards such as NIST SP 800-57 for cryptographic key management and secure communication protocols.