CVE-2016-3028 in Security Access Manager for Web
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Security Access Manager for Web 7.0 before IF2 and 8.0 before 8.0.1.4 IF3 and Security Access Manager 9.0 before 9.0.1.0 IF5 allow remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary commands by leveraging LMI admin access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/09/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-3028 affects IBM Security Access Manager for Web versions 7.0 before IF2 and 8.0 before 8.0.1.4 IF3, as well as Security Access Manager 9.0 before 9.0.1.0 IF5. This represents a critical command execution flaw that enables remote authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary commands on affected systems. The vulnerability specifically leverages LMI admin access privileges, which provides attackers with elevated permissions that can be exploited to gain complete control over the targeted systems.
The technical flaw stems from insufficient input validation and improper access control mechanisms within the IBM Security Access Manager implementation. When authenticated users with LMI administrative privileges interact with the system, the application fails to properly sanitize or validate user-supplied input before processing it as part of command execution paths. This allows attackers to inject malicious commands that are then executed with the privileges of the administrative account. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires only authenticated access rather than privileged credentials, making it accessible to users who have legitimate administrative access but could potentially be exploited by malicious insiders or compromised accounts.
This vulnerability impacts organizations that rely on IBM Security Access Manager for web-based authentication and authorization services, potentially affecting thousands of systems worldwide. The operational impact extends beyond simple command execution, as successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and disruption of critical access control services. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges, install backdoors, modify access controls, or launch further attacks against other systems within the network infrastructure. The attack vector requires minimal prerequisites, as it only needs an authenticated user account with LMI administrative privileges, making it particularly concerning for environments where administrative access is widely distributed.
Organizations should immediately apply the relevant IBM security fixes and patches for the affected versions, specifically targeting the IF2, IF3, and IF5 updates mentioned in the vulnerability description. Network segmentation and privilege minimization should be implemented to reduce the attack surface, ensuring that administrative privileges are granted only to users who require them for legitimate business purposes. Monitoring for unusual command execution patterns and unauthorized administrative access attempts should be enabled, with security teams implementing strict access control policies and regular privilege reviews. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-78, which describes improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands, and represents a significant concern under the ATT&CK framework category of Execution, specifically targeting the use of legitimate credentials for privilege escalation and command execution.