CVE-2014-4829 in QRadar Risk Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in IBM Security QRadar SIEM and QRadar Risk Manager 7.1 before MR2 Patch 9 and 7.2 before 7.2.4 Patch 1, and QRadar Vulnerability Manager 7.2 before 7.2.4 Patch 1, allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of arbitrary users for requests that insert XSS sequences.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/08/2018
The CVE-2014-4829 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw affecting IBM Security QRadar SIEM, QRadar Risk Manager, and QRadar Vulnerability Manager products across specific version ranges. This vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of request origins and lack of proper anti-CSRF token implementation within the web interfaces of these security management platforms. The flaw enables remote attackers to craft malicious requests that can be executed by authenticated users without their knowledge, effectively bypassing the authentication mechanisms that protect these critical security tools.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of web requests that leverage the trust relationship between the victim user and the QRadar application. When a user visits a malicious website or clicks on a compromised link, the attacker can construct requests that appear to originate from the legitimate QRadar interface. The vulnerability specifically allows for insertion of XSS sequences through these forged requests, creating a dangerous combination where CSRF attacks can simultaneously enable session hijacking and cross-site scripting execution. This dual nature significantly amplifies the attack surface and potential impact of the vulnerability.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-4829 extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it compromises the integrity and confidentiality of the entire QRadar security ecosystem. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can gain unauthorized access to sensitive security data, manipulate security policies, and potentially escalate privileges to administrative levels within the QRadar environment. The affected products are widely deployed in enterprise security operations centers where they serve as central repositories for security events, threat intelligence, and risk assessments, making them prime targets for adversaries seeking persistent access to critical infrastructure. The vulnerability undermines the fundamental security assumptions of these platforms, potentially allowing attackers to remain undetected while exfiltrating sensitive data or modifying security configurations.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of all impacted QRadar versions, specifically targeting the MR2 Patch 9 for 7.1 versions and Patch 1 for 7.2 versions. The remediation process requires careful planning due to the critical nature of these security platforms and their integration with enterprise security workflows. Network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide temporary mitigation while patches are deployed, though these measures do not fully address the underlying authentication bypass mechanism. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive monitoring for suspicious activities and user behavior anomalies that might indicate exploitation attempts, as the vulnerability allows for stealthy attacks that could persist undetected for extended periods.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery conditions in web applications, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for the initial access phase through spearphishing with a link. The combination of CSRF and XSS capabilities within a single vulnerability demonstrates the increasing sophistication of modern attack vectors targeting security management platforms. Organizations should implement robust security controls including multi-factor authentication, regular security assessments, and continuous monitoring to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in their security infrastructure. The incident highlights the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and the need for comprehensive vulnerability management programs across all enterprise security tools, particularly those handling sensitive security data and privileged access.