CVE-2015-7396 in Maximo Asset Management
Summary
by MITRE
The Scheduler in IBM Maximo Asset Management 7.5 before 7.5.0.8 IF6 and 7.6 before 7.6.0.1 FP1 and Maximo Asset Management 7.5 before 7.5.0.8 IF6, 7.5.1, and 7.6 before 7.6.0.1 FP1 for SmartCloud Control Desk allows remote authenticated users to bypass intended access restrictions, and obtain sensitive information or modify data, via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-7396 affects IBM Maximo Asset Management versions prior to specific fix packs, representing a critical access control flaw within the system's scheduling component. This issue impacts both Maximo Asset Management 7.5 and 7.6 product lines, with affected versions including 7.5 before 7.5.0.8 IF6, 7.5.1, and 7.6 before 7.6.0.1 FP1 for SmartCloud Control Desk. The vulnerability resides in the Scheduler module, which is responsible for managing work orders, maintenance schedules, and resource allocation within enterprise asset management systems. Security researchers have classified this as a remote authenticated privilege escalation vulnerability, allowing attackers who have already established legitimate user credentials to bypass intended access controls that should restrict their capabilities.
The technical flaw manifests through unspecified vectors that enable authenticated users to access restricted functionality beyond their assigned permissions. This type of vulnerability typically stems from inadequate input validation, insufficient authorization checks, or flawed session management within the scheduling component. Attackers can exploit this weakness to obtain sensitive information such as confidential asset data, maintenance schedules, financial records, and other protected information that should only be accessible to authorized personnel with appropriate clearance levels. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond mere information disclosure, as it also permits data modification, potentially allowing malicious actors to alter work orders, change maintenance schedules, or manipulate critical asset management records.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for organizations relying on Maximo Asset Management for critical infrastructure maintenance and asset tracking. The ability to bypass access restrictions means that unauthorized users could potentially disrupt maintenance operations, manipulate asset records, or gain insights into organizational workflows that could be exploited for competitive advantage or malicious purposes. The remote nature of the attack vector eliminates the need for physical access to the system, making it particularly dangerous as attackers can exploit this vulnerability from anywhere on the internet. Organizations using affected versions of Maximo Asset Management face potential regulatory compliance issues, as this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive operational data that may be subject to industry-specific regulations such as those governing industrial control systems or financial reporting.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which covers improper authorization issues, and represents a classic case of insufficient access control validation within enterprise software applications. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability maps to multiple ATT&CK techniques including privilege escalation, credential access, and defense evasion, as the attacker can leverage existing legitimate credentials to gain elevated access. Organizations should immediately implement the recommended security patches provided by IBM for the affected versions, which typically include enhanced access control mechanisms and improved authorization validation within the Scheduler component. Additionally, network segmentation, monitoring of anomalous access patterns, and regular security assessments should be implemented to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches in enterprise asset management systems, particularly those handling critical infrastructure data, as even authenticated users should not be granted unrestricted access to all system functionalities.