CVE-2014-0960 in PureApplication System
Summary
by MITRE
IBM PureApplication System 1.0 before 1.0.0.4 cfix8 and 1.1 before 1.1.0.4 IF1 allows remote authenticated users to bypass intended access restrictions by establishing an SSH session from a deployed virtual machine.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/12/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0960 affects IBM PureApplication System versions 1.0 before 1.0.0.4 cfix8 and 1.1 before 1.1.0.4 IF1, representing a critical access control flaw that undermines the security posture of cloud-based application environments. This vulnerability specifically targets the secure shell protocol implementation within the virtual machine deployment infrastructure, creating a pathway for authenticated attackers to circumvent intended security boundaries. The flaw resides in the system's inability to properly validate and enforce access controls when establishing secure shell connections from deployed virtual machines, potentially allowing unauthorized privilege escalation and lateral movement within the protected environment.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of SSH session initiation from virtual machine instances within the PureApplication System framework. When authenticated users establish SSH connections from deployed virtual machines, the system fails to properly verify that these connections originate from authorized sources or maintain appropriate security contexts. This weakness creates a privilege escalation vector where attackers can leverage legitimate authentication mechanisms to bypass access restrictions that should prevent unauthorized access to system resources. The vulnerability operates at the network protocol level, specifically targeting the authentication and authorization mechanisms that govern secure shell communications within cloud infrastructure environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables attackers to potentially compromise entire virtual machine deployments and underlying infrastructure components. Remote authenticated users can exploit this flaw to gain elevated privileges and access sensitive system resources that should remain restricted to authorized personnel only. The vulnerability affects both the 1.0 and 1.1 release lines of IBM PureApplication System, indicating a widespread issue across multiple versions of the platform. This allows attackers to maintain persistent access and potentially escalate privileges to gain control over the entire cloud application environment, making it particularly dangerous in multi-tenant deployments where isolation between different customer environments is critical.
Organizations implementing IBM PureApplication System should prioritize immediate remediation through the application of the vendor-provided patches and updates, specifically targeting the 1.0.0.4 cfix8 and 1.1.0.4 IF1 releases. Network segmentation and monitoring should be implemented to detect unauthorized SSH connections and anomalous access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control in software systems, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques and can be leveraged for lateral movement within compromised environments, potentially enabling more sophisticated attack campaigns. System administrators should also consider implementing additional authentication controls and access monitoring to detect and prevent unauthorized SSH session establishment from deployed virtual machines.