CVE-2016-0391 in Watson Developer Cloud
Summary
by MITRE
The IBM Watson Developer Cloud services on Bluemix platforms do not properly generate random numbers for service-instance credentials, which makes it easier for remote attackers to defeat cryptographic protection mechanisms via a brute-force attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/15/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-0391 affects IBM Watson Developer Cloud services deployed on Bluemix platforms, specifically targeting the cryptographic randomness generation mechanism used for creating service-instance credentials. This weakness stems from inadequate random number generation practices that compromise the security of authentication tokens and credential management systems. The flaw represents a critical failure in the cryptographic implementation that directly impacts the confidentiality and integrity of cloud-based services. Organizations relying on IBM Watson services for natural language processing, machine learning, and cognitive computing capabilities face significant risks when this vulnerability remains unaddressed.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the insufficient entropy and predictability of random number generation algorithms used by IBM Watson services during credential creation processes. When cryptographic systems fail to produce truly random values, attackers can exploit patterns or predict future outputs through mathematical analysis and brute-force methodologies. This particular weakness falls under the category of weak random number generation as defined by CWE-330, which specifically addresses the use of insufficiently random values in security-critical contexts. The predictable nature of generated credentials creates a pathway for unauthorized access attempts where attackers can systematically guess valid service tokens without requiring extensive computational resources or time.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential guessing attacks, as it fundamentally undermines the security model of cloud-based cognitive services. Remote attackers who successfully exploit this weakness can gain unauthorized access to Watson services, potentially leading to data breaches, service disruption, and unauthorized processing of sensitive information. The implications are particularly severe given that Watson services often handle confidential business data, personal information, and proprietary content that organizations trust to remain secure. This vulnerability enables adversaries to bypass authentication mechanisms that should protect against unauthorized access, effectively creating backdoors into cloud-based artificial intelligence platforms.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of IBM Watson services, reviewing and rotating existing service credentials, and implementing additional authentication layers such as API key management and access control policies. The remediation process requires careful coordination between development teams and security operations to ensure that all affected service instances receive proper updates. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive audits of their Watson service deployments to identify any instances that may still be vulnerable. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 which covers legitimate credentials obtained through compromise, as attackers can leverage predictable credentials to establish persistent access to cloud services. Additionally, the weakness demonstrates characteristics of privilege escalation and credential access patterns that organizations must monitor and protect against through comprehensive security controls and continuous vulnerability assessment programs.