CVE-2014-4756 in Rational License Key Server
Summary
by MITRE
The Administration and Reporting Tool in IBM Rational License Key Server (RLKS) 8.1.4.x before 8.1.4.4 allows remote authenticated users to hijack sessions via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/29/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-4756 affects IBM Rational License Key Server version 8.1.4.x before 8.1.4.4, specifically within its Administration and Reporting Tool component. This issue represents a session hijacking vulnerability that enables remote authenticated attackers to take control of active user sessions without proper authorization. The flaw exists in the authentication and session management mechanisms of the RLKS administration interface, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this license management system. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple unauthorized access as it allows attackers to potentially escalate privileges and perform administrative actions within the license server environment.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate session management controls within the IBM Rational License Key Server's web-based administration tool. Attackers who have authenticated to the system can exploit unspecified vectors to manipulate session tokens or identifiers, effectively taking over active user sessions. This type of vulnerability typically falls under CWE-384, which addresses session fixation and hijacking issues in web applications. The flaw likely involves insufficient validation of session identifiers, improper session token generation, or inadequate session timeout mechanisms that allow attackers to reuse or predict valid session states. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests multiple potential pathways through which session hijacking could occur, including but not limited to session cookie manipulation, token prediction, or insufficient session binding mechanisms.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk to organizations utilizing IBM Rational License Key Server for software license management. The ability to hijack sessions means that an attacker with legitimate credentials could potentially gain unauthorized access to administrative functions, leading to license manipulation, unauthorized software distribution, or complete control over the license server configuration. The impact is particularly concerning because license servers often contain sensitive information about software usage and licensing compliance, making them attractive targets for both insider threats and external attackers. The vulnerability undermines the integrity of the authentication process and could enable attackers to perform actions such as modifying license configurations, viewing restricted reports, or potentially disabling license enforcement mechanisms. This risk is compounded by the fact that the vulnerability affects a critical administrative component that is essential for license management operations.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to IBM Rational License Key Server version 8.1.4.4 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this session hijacking vulnerability. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit exposure of the administration interface to trusted networks only, following the principle of least privilege. Additionally, organizations should implement robust session management practices including secure session token generation, proper session timeout configurations, and regular session monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts. The mitigation strategy should align with industry best practices for web application security and align with the ATT&CK framework's session management techniques, particularly those related to credential access and privilege escalation. Organizations should also conduct security assessments to identify any potential exploitation attempts and ensure that administrative access controls remain robust against session hijacking attacks.