CVE-2016-6082 in BigFix Platform
Summary
by MITRE
IBM BigFix Platform could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the system, caused by a use-after-free race condition. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code on the system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-6082 affects the IBM BigFix Platform, a comprehensive IT management and compliance solution used by enterprises to monitor and manage their computing environments. This critical security flaw resides within the platform's handling of memory management operations, specifically manifesting as a use-after-free race condition that creates a significant attack surface for remote adversaries. The IBM BigFix Platform serves as a central management hub for enterprise IT infrastructure, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it could potentially compromise entire organizational networks through a single vulnerable endpoint.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management within the BigFix Platform's codebase, where a use-after-free race condition occurs during concurrent access to shared memory resources. This condition arises when a program continues to reference memory that has already been freed and potentially reallocated to another process or thread. The race condition aspect indicates that the vulnerability depends on timing and concurrent execution patterns, making it challenging to predict and reproduce consistently. The flaw allows an attacker to manipulate the memory allocation and deallocation processes to inject malicious code into the target system's execution context, effectively bypassing normal security boundaries and access controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple code execution, as it represents a complete compromise of system integrity and confidentiality. A remote attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability gains the ability to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected service, potentially leading to full system compromise, data exfiltration, and lateral movement within the network. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires no local access or authentication, making it accessible to anyone capable of reaching the vulnerable BigFix Platform instance over the network. Organizations using this platform may find their entire IT management infrastructure at risk, as the compromised system could be used to gain access to other connected systems and sensitive data repositories.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches and updates to address the memory management flaw, conducting comprehensive network segmentation to limit exposure of vulnerable systems, and monitoring for suspicious network activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing additional controls such as network access controls, intrusion detection systems, and regular vulnerability assessments to identify other potential weaknesses in their BigFix Platform deployments. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-416, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions in software applications, and represents a significant risk under the ATT&CK framework's execution tactics, particularly focusing on process injection and code execution techniques that leverage memory corruption vulnerabilities.