CVE-2016-3051 in Security Access Manager for Web
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Security Access Manager for Web 9.0.0 could allow an authenticated user to access some privileged functionality of the server. IBM X-Force ID: 114714.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/26/2020
IBM Security Access Manager for Web version 9.0.0 contains a vulnerability that permits authenticated users to escalate their privileges and access restricted server functionality. This flaw represents a critical authorization bypass issue that undermines the security model of the application. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of user permissions within the web access management framework, allowing attackers who have already established authentication to potentially gain access to administrative or privileged operations that should remain restricted to authorized personnel only.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves weaknesses in the access control mechanisms that govern user sessions and privilege levels within the IBM Security Access Manager system. When a user successfully authenticates to the web application, the system should maintain strict separation between standard user permissions and administrative capabilities. However, the flaw allows for privilege escalation through manipulation of session tokens, request parameters, or direct access attempts to privileged endpoints that should require additional authorization checks. This represents a classic case of insufficient authorization validation that can be exploited through various attack vectors including session hijacking, parameter manipulation, or direct API endpoint access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for organizations relying on IBM Security Access Manager for Web as it creates a potential pathway for attackers to compromise the entire web access management infrastructure. Once an authenticated user can access privileged functionality, they may be able to modify access policies, create new user accounts with administrative privileges, view sensitive configuration data, or perform other operations that could lead to complete system compromise. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the access management system, potentially allowing attackers to establish persistent access to protected resources and undermine the trust model that the security solution is designed to provide.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the relevant IBM security patches and updates that address the authorization bypass flaw. Network segmentation and additional monitoring of privileged access attempts should be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts. Access control policies should be reviewed and strengthened to ensure that even authenticated users cannot access unauthorized functionality without proper authorization checks. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-285 which addresses insufficient authorization issues, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1484 for domain policy modification. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to verify that access control mechanisms remain robust against similar privilege escalation attacks. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of proper authorization validation in security systems and demonstrates the potential consequences of inadequate access control implementation in enterprise security solutions.