CVE-2014-4832 in Qradar Security Information And Event 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 obtain sensitive cookie information by sniffing the network during an HTTP session.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/09/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-4832 represents a significant security flaw in IBM Security QRadar products that affects multiple versions of the SIEM, Risk Manager, and Vulnerability Manager platforms. This issue stems from inadequate protection of session cookies during HTTP communications, creating an avenue for man-in-the-middle attacks that could compromise sensitive authentication information. The vulnerability specifically impacts QRadar SIEM versions 7.1 before MR2 Patch 9 and 7.2 before 7.2.4 Patch 1, along with QRadar Risk Manager and Vulnerability Manager 7.2 versions prior to their respective patch releases. The flaw exists in the network communication protocols used by these security management platforms, where session tokens are transmitted without proper encryption or integrity protection mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through network packet sniffing activities that intercept HTTP traffic between clients and the QRadar servers. When users authenticate to these systems, session cookies containing sensitive authentication tokens are transmitted over unencrypted HTTP connections, making them susceptible to interception by malicious actors positioned on the same network segment. This weakness directly violates fundamental security principles of secure communication and session management, as outlined in CWE-319 which addresses the exposure of sensitive information through network transmission. The vulnerability demonstrates poor implementation of secure session handling practices where the system fails to enforce encryption for session data, allowing attackers to capture and potentially reuse authentication tokens to gain unauthorized access to the security platform.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-4832 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as successful exploitation could lead to complete compromise of the affected QRadar systems. Attackers who intercept these session cookies could potentially impersonate legitimate users, access sensitive security event data, modify system configurations, or even escalate privileges within the security infrastructure. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely heavily on QRadar for security monitoring and incident response, as the compromise of session tokens could provide attackers with access to critical security information and the ability to manipulate security policies. The attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046 which involves network service scanning and reconnaissance activities, while also supporting T1566 related to credential access through network sniffing operations. Organizations operating in environments where network traffic is not properly secured or monitored are particularly at risk, as the vulnerability can be exploited without requiring sophisticated attack techniques or elevated privileges.
The recommended mitigations for this vulnerability involve implementing comprehensive network security measures to protect against packet interception and unauthorized access. Organizations should immediately apply the vendor-provided patches for all affected QRadar versions, specifically MR2 Patch 9 for 7.1 and 7.2.4 Patch 1 for 7.2 systems. Additionally, organizations must ensure that all QRadar communications occur over encrypted channels using HTTPS or other secure protocols, with proper SSL/TLS configuration to prevent session cookie interception. Network segmentation and monitoring should be implemented to detect and prevent unauthorized network access, while also enforcing secure session management practices that include secure cookie attributes and proper session timeout mechanisms. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies that protect against various attack vectors including network-based reconnaissance and credential theft operations.