CVE-2015-5003 in Tivoli Monitoring
Summary
by MITRE
The portal in IBM Tivoli Monitoring (ITM) 6.2.2 through FP9, 6.2.3 through FP5, and 6.3.0 before FP7 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary commands by leveraging Take Action view authority and providing crafted input.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/24/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-5003 represents a critical command execution flaw within IBM Tivoli Monitoring versions 6.2.2 through FP9, 6.2.3 through FP5, and 6.3.0 before FP7. This issue stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms in the portal component of the monitoring solution, creating a pathway for remote authenticated attackers to escalate their privileges and execute arbitrary code on affected systems. The vulnerability specifically manifests through the Take Action view functionality, which grants users the ability to perform administrative operations within the monitoring environment. The flaw enables attackers who have already established authentication credentials to leverage their access rights and inject malicious commands that bypass normal security controls. This represents a significant escalation from standard user privileges to system-level command execution capabilities.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through improper sanitization of user input within the Take Action view implementation. When authenticated users submit crafted input parameters through this interface, the system fails to adequately validate or escape the input before processing it within the command execution context. This weakness falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category of command injection vulnerabilities, specifically CWE-77 which describes improper neutralization of special elements used in a command. The vulnerability exists because the system does not properly separate command arguments from user-supplied data, allowing attackers to inject additional commands that execute with the privileges of the affected service account. Attackers can manipulate the input fields to append malicious commands that are then interpreted and executed by the underlying operating system.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-5003 extends beyond simple privilege escalation to potentially compromise entire monitoring infrastructures. Since IBM Tivoli Monitoring typically operates with elevated privileges to monitor and manage system resources, successful exploitation could enable attackers to gain full control over the monitoring server and potentially access the broader network infrastructure that the monitoring system manages. This vulnerability affects organizations that rely heavily on ITM for system monitoring, as it provides a direct pathway to execute arbitrary code on monitoring servers without requiring additional attack vectors. The implications are particularly severe in enterprise environments where monitoring systems often serve as critical infrastructure components with access to sensitive operational data and system controls. The vulnerability could enable attackers to establish persistent access, escalate privileges further, or use the compromised monitoring system as a launching point for lateral movement within the network.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant IBM security patches and fixes released for the affected versions of IBM Tivoli Monitoring. The most effective mitigation strategy involves upgrading to patched versions of the software where IBM has addressed the input validation issues within the Take Action view functionality. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit the scope of potential exploitation by restricting access to the monitoring portal to only authorized personnel with legitimate business requirements. Security administrators should also consider implementing additional monitoring and logging of administrative activities within the monitoring system to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 which describes command and scripting interpreter, specifically focusing on the execution of malicious commands through compromised administrative interfaces. Organizations should also review their access control policies and implement principle of least privilege to minimize the potential impact of such vulnerabilities in their environments.