CVE-2015-2030 in WebSphere eXtreme Scale
Summary
by MITRE
IBM WebSphere eXtreme Scale 7.1.0 before 7.1.0.3 and 7.1.1 before 7.1.1.1 has an improper account-lockout setting, which makes it easier for remote attackers to obtain access via a brute-force attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/11/2018
IBM WebSphere eXtreme Scale version 7.1.0 prior to 7.1.0.3 and 7.1.1 prior to 7.1.1.1 contains a critical account lockout configuration flaw that significantly weakens authentication security mechanisms. This vulnerability stems from the default configuration of account lockout policies that fail to implement adequate protection against brute-force authentication attacks, creating an exploitable weakness in the system's access control framework. The improper account lockout settings essentially provide attackers with extended opportunities to guess valid credentials through automated attack tools, as the system does not effectively terminate or delay authentication attempts after multiple failed login attempts. This vulnerability directly impacts the system's ability to maintain secure access controls and represents a fundamental failure in implementing proper authentication policy enforcement.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's account lockout mechanism which is either disabled or configured with insufficient thresholds to trigger account lockout procedures. Attackers can leverage this weakness by conducting repeated authentication attempts against user accounts, potentially using automated tools to systematically test common username and password combinations. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that the system does not implement adequate rate limiting or account lockout functionality that would normally prevent such brute-force exploitation attempts. This configuration issue essentially creates a backdoor for unauthorized access through systematic credential guessing, as the system's default behavior does not include the necessary protective measures against automated attack vectors. The flaw operates at the authentication policy level and affects the core security architecture of the WebSphere eXtreme Scale platform.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it can lead to complete system compromise and data breaches within the organization's infrastructure. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data stored within the WebSphere eXtreme Scale environment, potentially leading to intellectual property theft, financial fraud, or regulatory compliance violations. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require physical access to the system and can target the service from anywhere on the network. This weakness can also facilitate lateral movement within a network if the compromised system has access to other resources, as the attacker can use the successfully obtained credentials to access additional systems. The vulnerability's persistence and ease of exploitation make it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments where WebSphere eXtreme Scale is deployed for critical business operations.
Organizations should immediately implement account lockout policies with appropriate thresholds and delays to prevent successful brute-force attacks, ensuring that failed authentication attempts trigger account lockout mechanisms after a reasonable number of attempts. System administrators should configure the authentication system to enforce rate limiting on login attempts, implementing delays between failed authentication attempts to slow down automated attack tools. The recommended mitigation involves upgrading to IBM WebSphere eXtreme Scale versions 7.1.0.3 and 7.1.1.1, which contain the patched account lockout configurations that properly enforce authentication security policies. Security teams should also implement additional monitoring for failed authentication attempts and establish automated alerting systems to detect potential brute-force attack patterns. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-307, which addresses inadequate account lockout mechanisms, and represents a clear violation of security best practices outlined in NIST SP 800-63B for authentication assurance levels. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under credential access techniques, specifically targeting the use of brute force methods to obtain unauthorized system access. Organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments to ensure all authentication mechanisms are properly configured and that account lockout policies are appropriately enforced across all deployed WebSphere eXtreme Scale instances.