CVE-2015-4965 in Maximo Asset Management
Summary
by MITRE
maximouiweb/webmodule/webclient/utility/merlin.jsp in IBM Maximo Asset Management 7.1 through 7.1.1.13, 7.5.0 before 7.5.0.8 IFIX004, and 7.6.0 before 7.6.0.1 IFIX002; Maximo Asset Management 7.5.x before 7.5.0.8 IFIX004 and 7.6.0 before 7.6.0.1 IFIX002 for SmartCloud Control Desk; and Maximo Asset Management 7.1 through 7.1.1.13 and 7.2 for Tivoli IT Asset Management for IT and certain other products allows remote authenticated users to obtain sensitive information by reading a (1) backup or (2) debug application file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/11/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-4965 affects IBM Maximo Asset Management versions across multiple release streams including 7.1 through 7.1.1.13, 7.5.0 before 7.5.0.8 IFIX004, and 7.6.0 before 7.6.0.1 IFIX002. This security flaw resides within the maximouiweb/webmodule/webclient/utility/merlin.jsp component and represents a significant information disclosure vulnerability that impacts multiple IBM asset management products including SmartCloud Control Desk and Tivoli IT Asset Management for IT. The vulnerability specifically targets the web module's utility component that handles backup and debug application files, creating a pathway for unauthorized information retrieval.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate access controls within the merlin.jsp utility file, which allows authenticated users to read sensitive backup and debug files without proper authorization checks. This flaw falls under the CWE-200 category of Information Exposure and demonstrates a classic case of insufficient access control mechanisms. The vulnerability exists because the application fails to validate user permissions when accessing these utility endpoints, enabling any authenticated user to potentially access system backup files or debug information that should remain restricted to administrators or system operators.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates serious security implications for organizations utilizing IBM Maximo Asset Management systems. The exposure of backup files could potentially reveal system configurations, database connection strings, user credentials, or other sensitive operational data that could be exploited by attackers to gain deeper system access. Debug application files often contain detailed system information including stack traces, configuration parameters, and internal system states that could provide attackers with valuable intelligence for crafting more sophisticated attacks. The vulnerability affects multiple product lines including SmartCloud Control Desk and Tivoli IT Asset Management, amplifying its potential impact across enterprise environments.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant IFIX patches provided by IBM for the affected versions, restricting access to the merlin.jsp utility endpoint through network segmentation, and implementing additional authentication controls for the web application. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1083 (File and Directory Discovery) and T1566 (Phishing) as attackers could use the exposed information to craft targeted attacks or escalate privileges within the system. System administrators should also review and tighten access controls for all utility endpoints and consider implementing web application firewalls to monitor and restrict access patterns to potentially vulnerable components. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of patched environments to ensure that the vulnerability is fully resolved without introducing regressions in system functionality.