CVE-2015-7490 in InfoSphere Information Server
Summary
by MITRE
IBM InfoSphere Information Server 8.5 through FP3, 8.7 through FP2, 9.1 through 9.1.2.0, 11.3 through 11.3.1.2, and 11.5 allows remote authenticated users to bypass intended access restrictions via a modified cookie.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/09/2022
IBM InfoSphere Information Server versions 8.5 through FP3, 8.7 through FP2, 9.1 through 9.1.2.0, 11.3 through 11.3.1.2, and 11.5 contain a critical access control vulnerability that permits remote authenticated users to bypass intended security restrictions through cookie manipulation. This vulnerability resides in the authentication and session management mechanisms of the platform, specifically targeting how the system validates session cookies during user authentication processes. The flaw allows attackers who have already established legitimate authentication to manipulate cookie values and subsequently gain unauthorized access to restricted resources, data, or administrative functions within the Information Server environment.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and insufficient session token integrity checks within the web application layer. When users authenticate to the IBM InfoSphere Information Server, the system generates session cookies that should contain sufficient cryptographic integrity checks to prevent tampering. However, the vulnerable versions fail to properly validate these cookie values, allowing attackers to modify cookie contents without detection. This weakness creates a path for privilege escalation and unauthorized data access, as the modified cookies can grant access to resources that should be restricted to specific user roles or permissions. The vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including man-in-the-middle scenarios, session hijacking, or direct cookie manipulation by authenticated users who understand the system's session management structure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it can enable attackers to perform administrative functions, view sensitive data, modify information, or potentially escalate privileges to system-level access. Organizations utilizing these vulnerable versions of IBM InfoSphere Information Server face significant risks including data breaches, unauthorized modifications to business intelligence data, and potential compromise of the entire information server infrastructure. The vulnerability affects the core security model of the platform, undermining the trust model that users place in the system's authentication mechanisms. Attackers can leverage this weakness to bypass role-based access controls that are fundamental to protecting sensitive enterprise data within business intelligence environments.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the latest IBM security patches and fixes for the affected versions, implementing additional session management controls, and conducting comprehensive security assessments of their InfoSphere Information Server deployments. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization in authentication systems, and maps to ATT&CK techniques such as T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential access. Security teams should also consider implementing network-level controls including web application firewalls to detect and prevent cookie manipulation attempts, along with enhanced monitoring of authentication and session management activities. Additionally, organizations should review their access control policies and ensure that proper principle of least privilege is enforced across all user accounts within the affected systems to minimize potential damage from successful exploitation attempts.