CVE-2014-4831 in QRadar Risk Manager
Summary
by MITRE
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, allow remote attackers to hijack sessions via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/08/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-4831 affects IBM Security QRadar SIEM, QRadar Risk Manager, and QRadar Vulnerability Manager versions prior to specific patch releases. This issue represents a critical session hijacking vulnerability that enables remote attackers to take control of active user sessions within the affected IBM Security products. The vulnerability stems from insufficient session management mechanisms that fail to properly validate session tokens or implement adequate session expiration controls. Attackers can exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to administrative functions and sensitive system resources without proper authentication. The unspecified vectors suggest that the vulnerability may involve multiple attack surfaces including weak session token generation, predictable session identifiers, or inadequate session validation processes.
The technical flaw manifests in the improper handling of session identifiers within the IBM Security QRadar platforms, creating opportunities for session prediction, fixation, or takeover attacks. This vulnerability directly impacts the authentication and authorization mechanisms that protect critical security information management systems. The affected versions include QRadar SIEM 7.1 before MR2 Patch 9, QRadar Risk Manager 7.1 before MR2 Patch 9, and QRadar Vulnerability Manager 7.2 before 7.2.4 Patch 1, indicating that the issue was present across multiple components of IBM's security suite. The vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-306, which addresses missing authentication in critical security functions, and represents a significant deviation from secure session management practices. Attackers can leverage this weakness to execute privilege escalation attacks, access confidential data, modify system configurations, and potentially establish persistent access to the security infrastructure.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-4831 extends beyond immediate unauthorized access to encompass broader security implications for organizations relying on IBM Security QRadar platforms. Successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and disruption of security monitoring capabilities that organizations depend upon for threat detection and response. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of security information management processes, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate risk assessments, modify security policies, or disable security controls. Organizations may experience cascading security failures as attackers use compromised sessions to move laterally within their networks, access additional systems, and conduct extended reconnaissance operations. This vulnerability directly impacts the trust model of the affected security platforms, undermining the confidence in their ability to protect organizational security infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-4831 primarily involve applying the vendor-provided patches and updates that address the session management flaws in the affected IBM Security QRadar versions. Organizations should immediately upgrade to the patched versions including QRadar SIEM 7.1 MR2 Patch 9, QRadar Risk Manager 7.1 MR2 Patch 9, and QRadar Vulnerability Manager 7.2.4 Patch 1 or later releases. Network segmentation and monitoring should be implemented to detect anomalous session behavior and unauthorized access attempts. Security administrators should review session management configurations, implement stronger session token generation algorithms, and establish robust session timeout mechanisms. The mitigation approach aligns with ATT&CK technique T1563.002 for credentials from password stores and T1078 for valid accounts, emphasizing the need for comprehensive access control measures. Organizations should also implement network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for session hijacking attempts and establish incident response procedures to address potential exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify and remediate similar session management weaknesses across the organization's security infrastructure.