CVE-2014-4765 in Maximo Asset Management
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Maximo Asset Management 7.1 through 7.1.1.13 and 7.5 through 7.5.0.6, Maximo Asset Management 7.5.0 through 7.5.0.3 and 7.5.1 through 7.5.1.2 for SmartCloud Control Desk, and Maximo Asset Management 7.1 and 7.2 for Tivoli IT Asset Management for IT and certain other products allow remote attackers to obtain sensitive directory information by reading an unspecified error message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/19/2018
This vulnerability in IBM Maximo Asset Management systems represents a critical information disclosure flaw that exposes sensitive directory structure information to remote attackers. The vulnerability affects multiple versions across different product lines including Maximo Asset Management 7.1 through 7.1.1.13, 7.5 through 7.5.0.6, SmartCloud Control Desk versions 7.5.0 through 7.5.0.3 and 7.5.1 through 7.5.1.2, and Tivoli IT Asset Management for IT versions 7.1 and 7.2. The flaw manifests when attackers can read unspecified error messages that inadvertently reveal directory paths, file structures, and potentially sensitive system information that should remain hidden from unauthorized users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper error handling mechanisms within the application's response system. When certain operations fail or encounter exceptions, the system generates error messages that contain directory paths, file locations, or other structural information about the underlying filesystem. This represents a classic CWE-200 vulnerability pattern where insufficient error handling leads to information exposure. The vulnerability allows attackers to map the application's directory structure and potentially identify sensitive files or directories that could aid in further exploitation attempts.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant security risks for organizations using these IBM Maximo versions. Attackers can use the disclosed directory information to understand the application architecture, potentially identifying weak points in the system's security configuration. The exposure of directory structures enables more sophisticated attacks including path traversal attempts, file inclusion vulnerabilities, and other exploitation techniques that rely on knowledge of the system's internal layout. This information disclosure can serve as a foundation for privilege escalation attacks or as part of a broader reconnaissance phase in targeted attacks.
The vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK framework techniques including T1083 (File and Directory Discovery) and T1068 (Exploitation for Privilege Escalation). Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the broader threat landscape where information disclosure often precedes more serious exploitation attempts. Organizations using affected versions should implement immediate mitigations including proper error handling configuration, input validation, and security monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of secure coding practices and proper error message management as outlined in industry standards such as OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines.
Mitigation strategies should focus on configuring the application to suppress detailed error messages in production environments, implementing proper input sanitization, and establishing comprehensive logging and monitoring for suspicious activities. System administrators should also consider network segmentation and access controls to limit potential damage from successful exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar information disclosure vulnerabilities across the organization's technology stack. Organizations should prioritize updating to patched versions of IBM Maximo Asset Management where available and implement additional defensive measures including web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability.