CVE-2014-6086 in Security Access Manager for Web
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Security Access Manager for Mobile 8.x before 8.0.1 and Security Access Manager for Web 7.x before 7.0.0 FP10 and 8.x before 8.0.1 do not ensure that HTTPS is used, which allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information by sniffing the network during an HTTP session.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/09/2018
IBM Security Access Manager for Mobile and Web products contain a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of communication channels through improper enforcement of secure transport protocols. This vulnerability affects versions 8.x prior to 8.0.1 and 7.x prior to 7.0.0 FP10, creating a pathway for man-in-the-middle attacks where adversaries can intercept and analyze network traffic to extract sensitive authentication and session data. The root cause lies in the application's failure to mandate HTTPS encryption during authentication processes, allowing malicious actors to perform network sniffing operations and capture credentials or session tokens transmitted over unencrypted HTTP connections. This weakness directly corresponds to CWE-319, which addresses the exposure of sensitive information through improper transport layer security enforcement. The vulnerability creates a significant risk for organizations relying on these security products, as attackers can exploit the insecure communication channels to gain unauthorized access to protected resources and user credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to encompass potential full system compromise and unauthorized access to corporate networks. Attackers can leverage this weakness to perform session hijacking, credential theft, and privilege escalation attacks against authenticated users of the security access manager systems. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical skill and can be accomplished through standard network monitoring tools, making it particularly dangerous in environments where network traffic is not properly secured or monitored. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1046 Network Service Scanning and T1566 Phishing, as attackers can use the insecure communication to capture credentials and then escalate privileges within the target environment. Organizations using affected versions face increased risk of data breaches, compliance violations, and potential regulatory penalties due to the exposure of sensitive information through insecure network communications.
Organizations should immediately implement comprehensive mitigations including mandatory enforcement of HTTPS protocols, network segmentation to prevent unauthorized access to authentication endpoints, and deployment of network monitoring solutions to detect and prevent insecure communication attempts. The recommended remediation strategy involves upgrading to the patched versions of IBM Security Access Manager for Mobile and Web products, specifically version 8.0.1 for the mobile product and 7.0.0 FP10 for the web product. Security teams should also implement strict network policies that enforce TLS encryption for all authentication traffic and conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any remaining insecure communication channels within their infrastructure. Additional defensive measures include implementing certificate pinning mechanisms, deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious network activity, and establishing regular security audits to ensure proper enforcement of secure communication protocols. The vulnerability serves as a critical reminder of the importance of proper transport layer security implementation and the necessity of maintaining up-to-date security patches across all enterprise systems to prevent exploitation of fundamental security weaknesses.