CVE-2015-4945 in Maximo Anywhere
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the IBM Maximo Anywhere application 7.5.1 through 7.5.1.2 for Android allows attackers to bypass a passcode protection mechanism and obtain sensitive information via a crafted application.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/22/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-4945 affects IBM Maximo Anywhere version 7.5.1 through 7.5.1.2 on Android platforms, representing a critical security flaw that undermines the application's built-in passcode protection mechanisms. This weakness falls under the broader category of inadequate authentication and authorization controls, specifically targeting the mobile application's attempt to secure sensitive enterprise data through device-level passcode enforcement. The vulnerability enables attackers to bypass the intended security measures, potentially allowing unauthorized access to confidential information that should be protected by the application's authentication framework.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation and enforcement of passcode protection within the Android application's security architecture. Attackers can exploit this flaw through a crafted malicious application that manipulates the device's security state or directly interacts with the application's authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability likely involves improper handling of passcode verification processes, potentially allowing attackers to either bypass passcode entry entirely or to access protected application features without proper authentication. This type of flaw typically resides in the application's security implementation layer where device-level protection mechanisms are not properly enforced or validated.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-4945 extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it represents a fundamental breakdown in the application's security model that could expose sensitive enterprise data to unauthorized parties. Organizations using IBM Maximo Anywhere for asset management, maintenance tracking, and enterprise resource planning may face significant risks including data breaches, intellectual property exposure, and compliance violations. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely on mobile applications for accessing critical business information, as it undermines the security assumptions that users make about their data protection on mobile devices. This weakness could be exploited in various attack scenarios including man-in-the-middle attacks, device-based compromises, or through the installation of malicious applications that leverage the vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to protected information.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on immediate application updates from IBM addressing the specific passcode enforcement flaw, while organizations should implement additional protective measures such as device management policies, application sandboxing, and network-level monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and may also relate to ATT&CK technique T1211 for exploitation of software vulnerabilities. Organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their mobile application environments, implement robust device authentication mechanisms, and ensure timely patch deployment to address similar vulnerabilities in mobile enterprise applications. Additionally, security teams should monitor for suspicious application behavior and implement network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts.