CVE-2015-0143 in OpenPages GRC Platform
Summary
by MITRE
IBM OpenPages GRC Platform 6.2 before IF7, 6.2.1 before 6.2.1.1 IF5, 7.0 before FP4, and 7.1 before FP1 allows remote authenticated users to obtain sensitive information by reading error messages.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/18/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-0143 affects IBM OpenPages Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance Platform versions prior to specific maintenance releases. This issue represents a sensitive data exposure vulnerability that occurs when the platform fails to properly sanitize error messages returned to authenticated users. The flaw exists in the platform's error handling mechanism, where detailed technical information about system internals, database structures, or internal processing errors is inadvertently exposed to users who have authenticated access to the system. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-209 category of "Information Exposure Through an Error Message" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1082 for system information discovery. The vulnerability specifically impacts versions 6.2 before IF7, 6.2.1 before 6.2.1.1 IF5, 7.0 before FP4, and 7.1 before FP1 of the OpenPages platform.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when authenticated users interact with the platform and encounter system errors or exceptions during normal operations. Rather than receiving generic error messages, these users receive detailed technical information that reveals internal system components, database schema details, or other sensitive operational data. This information can include database connection strings, internal file paths, stack traces, or other diagnostic information that could be leveraged by attackers to understand the underlying architecture and potentially identify additional attack vectors. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only authenticated access, meaning that an attacker who has obtained valid credentials can exploit this weakness without requiring additional privileges or complex attack techniques.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the exposed information can significantly aid attackers in planning more sophisticated attacks against the platform and its underlying infrastructure. Attackers can use the detailed error information to map the internal structure of the application, identify potential database vulnerabilities, or understand the platform's architecture to find other weaknesses. The exposure of internal system details can also facilitate privilege escalation attempts or help attackers craft more effective social engineering campaigns by understanding the platform's operational environment. This vulnerability represents a classic case of insufficient error handling that violates security best practices and can compromise the confidentiality of sensitive system information.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately apply the relevant maintenance releases provided by IBM to address the issue. The recommended mitigation strategy involves implementing proper error handling mechanisms that sanitize all error messages before they are displayed to users, ensuring that only generic error information is presented to authenticated users while detailed technical information is logged securely for administrative review. Security teams should also implement monitoring for unusual error message patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper error handling in security-conscious applications and aligns with security frameworks that emphasize the principle of least privilege and information minimization. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular security assessments to identify similar error handling issues in other applications and ensure that all system components follow secure coding practices to prevent information disclosure through error messages.