CVE-2016-5990 in Security Privileged Identity Manager Virtual Appliance
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Security Privileged Identity Manager Virtual Appliance allows an authenticated user to upload malicious files that would be automatically executed by the server.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-5990 resides within IBM Security Privileged Identity Manager Virtual Appliance, a critical component designed to manage and monitor privileged accounts across enterprise environments. This security flaw represents a significant concern for organizations relying on privileged identity management solutions, as it creates a direct path for authenticated attackers to escalate their privileges and potentially compromise entire systems. The vulnerability specifically affects the appliance's file upload functionality, which is essential for managing configuration files and other administrative content within the privileged identity management framework.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the appliance's file handling mechanisms. An authenticated user, who already possesses legitimate access credentials, can exploit this weakness by uploading malicious files that the server automatically processes and executes without proper security checks. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-434 category of Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type, which is classified as a critical security risk in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog. The flaw essentially creates a server-side file inclusion vulnerability where the system fails to properly validate file extensions, content types, or file contents before executing uploaded payloads.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-5990 extends far beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with a persistent foothold within the privileged identity management infrastructure. Once an attacker successfully uploads and executes malicious code, they can potentially gain access to sensitive privileged accounts, modify system configurations, or establish backdoors for continued access. This vulnerability directly impacts the CIA triad by compromising both confidentiality and integrity of the privileged identity management system, while potentially affecting availability if the malicious code causes system instability or resource exhaustion. The attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, and T1078.004 for Valid Accounts - Cloud Accounts, as it leverages legitimate authentication mechanisms to execute malicious payloads.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability, beginning with immediate patching of affected IBM Security Privileged Identity Manager Virtual Appliance versions. Network segmentation and access control measures should be enforced to limit the scope of potential exploitation, while monitoring systems should be deployed to detect unusual file upload activities or execution patterns. The implementation of strict file validation policies, including content-type checking, file extension filtering, and virus scanning of uploaded files, forms a crucial defensive strategy. Additionally, privileged access should be managed through least-privilege principles, ensuring that only essential personnel have access to the vulnerable appliance functionality. Security awareness training for administrators and regular vulnerability assessments should be conducted to maintain ongoing protection against similar threats that may exploit similar file upload vulnerabilities in other systems.