CVE-2016-6044 in Tivoli Storage Manager Operations Center
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Tivoli Storage Manager Operations Center could allow an authenticated attacker to enable or disable the application's REST API, which may let the attacker violate security policy.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-6044 affects IBM Tivoli Storage Manager Operations Center, a comprehensive storage management solution designed to provide centralized monitoring and administration of storage environments. This security flaw resides within the application's access control mechanisms and represents a significant concern for organizations relying on the platform for critical storage operations management. The vulnerability specifically impacts the REST API functionality that serves as a primary interface for programmatic access to storage management capabilities, making it a critical target for potential attackers seeking to compromise system integrity.
The technical flaw manifests as an insufficient authorization check within the application's administrative interface, allowing authenticated users to manipulate the REST API enablement state without proper administrative privileges. This weakness falls under the CWE-863 category of "Incorrect Authorization" where the system fails to properly validate user permissions before granting access to administrative functions. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can toggle the REST API status between enabled and disabled states, effectively bypassing intended security controls that should restrict such modifications to authorized administrators only. The flaw essentially provides a backdoor mechanism for privilege escalation and unauthorized system modification through legitimate administrative interfaces.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple access control violations, as it creates opportunities for attackers to violate established security policies and potentially compromise the entire storage management infrastructure. When an attacker can enable or disable the REST API, they gain the ability to modify the application's operational behavior and potentially expose additional attack vectors that were previously restricted. This capability can lead to unauthorized data access, system configuration changes, and the potential for further exploitation within the storage environment. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations with strict security policies requiring segregation of duties and least privilege access controls, as it undermines fundamental security principles.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including enforcing strict access controls for administrative functions, implementing network segmentation to limit access to the Operations Center, and establishing monitoring for unauthorized API state changes. The vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential access, as attackers can leverage legitimate administrative interfaces to perform unauthorized modifications. Regular security audits should verify that API enablement states are properly restricted and that only authorized personnel can modify such critical system parameters. Additionally, implementing automated alerting for API state changes and maintaining comprehensive audit logs will help detect potential exploitation attempts and ensure compliance with security policy requirements.