CVE-2015-4927 in Tivoli Storage Manager
Summary
by MITRE
The Reporting and Monitoring component in Tivoli Monitoring in IBM Tivoli Storage Manager 6.3 before 6.3.6 and 7.1 before 7.1.3 on Linux and AIX uses world-writable permissions for unspecified files, which allows local users to gain privileges by writing to a file.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/26/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-4927 affects the Reporting and Monitoring component within IBM Tivoli Storage Manager versions 6.3 before 6.3.6 and 7.1 before 7.1.3 running on Linux and AIX operating systems. This security flaw resides in the file permission configuration of specific system files used by the monitoring infrastructure, creating a significant privilege escalation vector for local attackers. The issue stems from the component's failure to properly secure critical files with appropriate access controls, allowing unauthorized users to manipulate these files and potentially elevate their system privileges.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the use of world-writable permissions for unspecified files within the Tivoli Monitoring component. This configuration violates fundamental security principles and creates an exploitable condition where any local user can modify files that should be restricted to privileged system processes or administrators. When files are created with world-writable permissions, they can be modified by any user account on the system, including unprivileged users who should not have the ability to alter critical monitoring or reporting components. This misconfiguration essentially provides a backdoor mechanism for local privilege escalation attacks.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a substantial risk to organizations using IBM Tivoli Storage Manager, particularly in environments where multiple user accounts exist or where system integrity is paramount. The local privilege escalation capability allows attackers who have gained access to a low-privilege account to potentially escalate their privileges to root or system-level access, thereby gaining complete control over the affected system. This could lead to unauthorized data access, system compromise, or the ability to manipulate monitoring data that could mask other security incidents. The impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it undermines the integrity of the monitoring infrastructure itself.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resources, which specifically addresses the assignment of incorrect permissions to critical system resources. This weakness is particularly dangerous in monitoring systems where the integrity of data and processes is crucial for security operations. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as privilege escalation through file permission manipulation, specifically under T1068: Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, where adversaries leverage misconfigurations to gain elevated privileges. Organizations should implement immediate remediation measures including applying the vendor-provided patches, reviewing file permissions across the affected system, and conducting comprehensive security audits to identify other potential misconfigurations that could be exploited in similar ways.
The affected systems require immediate attention through the application of IBM's security patches that address the improper file permission settings in the Tivoli Monitoring component. Security administrators should also conduct thorough permission reviews of the Tivoli Storage Manager installation directories and implement monitoring for unauthorized file modifications. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing additional security controls such as file integrity monitoring solutions and regular security assessments to detect and prevent similar misconfigurations in other system components that could provide similar privilege escalation opportunities.