CVE-2016-2958 in Connections
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Connections 4.0 through CR4, 4.5 through CR5, and 5.0 before CR4 allows remote authenticated users to obtain sensitive information by reading an "archaic" e-mail address in a response.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/04/2022
IBM Connections versions 4.0 through CR4, 4.5 through CR5, and 5.0 before CR4 contain a sensitive information exposure vulnerability that affects authenticated users. This flaw allows remote attackers with valid credentials to access confidential email addresses through response data structures. The vulnerability stems from improper access controls within the application's response handling mechanisms, where certain email addresses are exposed in an "archaic" format that should not be accessible to unauthorized users. The issue is particularly concerning as it enables attackers to gather intelligence about user contact information and potentially identify additional targets for social engineering attacks. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses information exposure, and represents a classic case of insufficient access control. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting specific requests that trigger the response containing the sensitive email address, bypassing normal authorization checks that should prevent such disclosure. This type of information leakage can significantly impact organizational security posture by providing attackers with valuable contact information that could be used for phishing campaigns or other targeted attacks. The vulnerability affects the application's data protection mechanisms and demonstrates a failure in proper input validation and access control implementation.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an authenticated user account to initiate the attack vector. Attackers can leverage the application's response handling logic to extract email addresses that are stored in a format that should not be publicly accessible. This typically involves making specific API calls or HTTP requests that trigger the application to return structured responses containing the exposed email addresses. The "archaic" email address format suggests that the vulnerability may be related to legacy data handling or deprecated protocols within the application's architecture. The flaw operates at the application layer and does not require special privileges beyond valid authentication credentials. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by insiders or compromised accounts. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure as email addresses can serve as primary identifiers for user accounts and can facilitate further attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates poor separation of concerns in the application's data access model, where sensitive information is not properly protected during response generation. Organizations using these vulnerable versions should consider the implications for their overall security framework, as this type of exposure can enable more sophisticated attack vectors.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive email information. The recommended approach includes applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates that address the access control flaws in the response handling components. System administrators should review and tighten access controls for all application responses, ensuring that email addresses are properly sanitized before being included in any output. Additional defensive measures include implementing network segmentation to limit access to sensitive application components and monitoring for unusual request patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's impact on organizational security can be mitigated through proper configuration management and regular security assessments. Security teams should also conduct user awareness training to help identify potential social engineering attempts that might leverage the exposed email addresses. Organizations should consider implementing additional access logging and monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts to sensitive data. The remediation process should include thorough testing to ensure that the patches do not introduce compatibility issues with existing application functionality. Regular vulnerability scanning and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar access control weaknesses in other applications within the organization's infrastructure.
This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper access control implementation in enterprise applications and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for social engineering. The issue highlights the need for comprehensive security testing throughout the application development lifecycle and the importance of addressing information disclosure vulnerabilities promptly. Organizations should establish robust patch management processes to ensure timely deployment of security updates. The vulnerability also underscores the significance of maintaining up-to-date security standards and implementing defense-in-depth strategies. Security professionals should consider this as a case study in how seemingly minor access control flaws can have significant security implications. The affected IBM Connections versions represent a specific attack surface that requires careful monitoring and protection. Proper security architecture design should include explicit controls for sensitive data handling and access restriction mechanisms that prevent unauthorized disclosure of user information. The vulnerability's remediation should be part of a broader security improvement initiative that addresses similar weaknesses across the organization's technology stack.