CVE-2016-5966 in Security Privileged Identity Manager Virtual Appliance
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Security Privileged Identity Manager Virtual Appliance could allow a remote attacker to obtain sensitive information, caused by the failure to properly enable HTTP Strict Transport Security. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to obtain sensitive information using man in the middle techniques.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-5966 affects the IBM Security Privileged Identity Manager Virtual Appliance, a critical component designed to manage and monitor privileged user access within enterprise environments. This security flaw represents a significant weakness in the appliance's communication security mechanisms, specifically related to its handling of HTTPS connections and transport layer security. The vulnerability stems from the appliance's failure to properly implement HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) headers, which are essential for protecting against various types of man-in-the-middle attacks that could compromise sensitive privileged information.
The technical flaw manifests when the virtual appliance does not adequately enforce secure communication channels between clients and the server, leaving the system susceptible to protocol downgrade attacks and session hijacking attempts. Without proper HSTS implementation, attackers can intercept communications and potentially obtain sensitive information through various techniques including SSL stripping attacks where the connection is downgraded from HTTPS to HTTP. This vulnerability directly impacts the appliance's ability to maintain secure communication channels, potentially exposing privileged credentials, access logs, and other confidential data that the system is designed to protect. The flaw creates an attack surface that allows remote adversaries to exploit the weakness without requiring local access or elevated privileges, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where privileged accounts are extensively used.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it fundamentally undermines the security posture of organizations relying on the IBM Security Privileged Identity Manager for privileged access management. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability could gain unauthorized access to privileged accounts, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and lateral movement within the network. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects a virtual appliance that typically operates in sensitive environments where the protection of privileged credentials is paramount. Organizations may experience significant security breaches when attackers leverage this weakness to conduct reconnaissance and establish persistent access to privileged accounts, potentially affecting critical infrastructure and sensitive data repositories. The vulnerability also impacts compliance with various security standards and regulatory requirements that mandate proper encryption and secure communication protocols for privileged access management systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate implementation of proper HSTS headers configuration on the affected appliance, ensuring that all HTTPS connections are properly enforced and that HTTP requests are automatically redirected to secure channels. Organizations should also implement network-level protections including SSL inspection capabilities and monitoring for protocol downgrade attempts, while conducting thorough network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation. The remediation process must include comprehensive testing to verify that HSTS headers are properly configured and that the appliance maintains secure communication protocols across all network interfaces. Security teams should also establish monitoring procedures to detect potential man-in-the-middle attack attempts and implement additional authentication controls such as multi-factor authentication for privileged accounts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-319, which specifically addresses the weakness of exposing sensitive information through improper implementation of transport layer security, and represents a technique commonly used in the ATT&CK framework under the T1185 category for data from local system repositories, potentially enabling broader access to privileged information within enterprise environments.