CVE-2016-5949 in Kenexa LCMS Premier on Cloud
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Kenexa LCMS Premier on Cloud could allow an authenticated user to obtain sensitive user data with a specially crafted HTTP request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2020
IBM Kenexa LCMS Premier on Cloud contains a security vulnerability that enables authenticated users to extract sensitive user information through carefully constructed HTTP requests. This flaw represents a critical access control issue that undermines the system's data protection mechanisms and could lead to unauthorized data exposure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and improper access control enforcement within the web application's request processing pipeline. When authenticated users submit specially crafted HTTP requests, the system fails to properly validate the request parameters and authorization context, allowing maliciously constructed requests to bypass normal access controls and retrieve data belonging to other users. This type of vulnerability typically falls under CWE-285 which addresses improper authorization in software systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it creates a potential vector for privilege escalation and lateral movement within the affected environment. An authenticated attacker could systematically enumerate user data, potentially accessing confidential information such as personal identification details, employment records, or other sensitive personnel information. The vulnerability affects the cloud-based deployment of Kenexa LCMS Premier, making it particularly concerning for organizations relying on cloud services for human capital management. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1078 which covers valid accounts and T1566 which covers credential harvesting through social engineering or system exploitation.
Organizations utilizing IBM Kenexa LCMS Premier on Cloud should immediately implement comprehensive security controls to mitigate this risk. The primary mitigation strategy involves strengthening input validation mechanisms and implementing robust access control checks for all HTTP request parameters. System administrators should also deploy web application firewalls to monitor and filter suspicious request patterns, while conducting thorough access control reviews to ensure proper user authorization enforcement. Additionally, implementing logging and monitoring solutions can help detect anomalous access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of continuous security testing and proper security architecture review processes, particularly for cloud-based applications handling sensitive user data. Organizations should also consider implementing additional authentication layers and regularly updating their security configurations to prevent similar issues in other components of their security infrastructure.