CVE-2016-8925 in Tivoli Application Dependency Discovery Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Tivoli Application Dependency Discovery Manager 7.2.2 and 7.3 could allow a remote attacker to include arbitrary files which could allow the attacker to read any file on the system. IBM X-Force ID: 118538.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/31/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-8925 affects IBM Tivoli Application Dependency Discovery Manager versions 7.2.2 and 7.3, representing a critical security flaw that enables remote attackers to manipulate file inclusion mechanisms within the application. This issue stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization processes that govern how the system handles file references during dependency discovery operations. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it allows attackers to leverage the application's legitimate file processing capabilities to access arbitrary files on the underlying system, potentially exposing sensitive data and system resources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a path traversal or file inclusion flaw that occurs when the application processes user-supplied data without proper validation. Attackers can craft malicious input that manipulates the file inclusion logic to reference files outside of the intended directories, effectively bypassing normal access controls. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal. The flaw operates at the application layer where user inputs are directly incorporated into file system operations without adequate sanitization or access control enforcement.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to organizations relying on Tivoli Application Dependency Discovery Manager for application infrastructure mapping and dependency analysis. A successful exploitation could allow attackers to read configuration files, database credentials, application source code, and other sensitive information stored on the system. The impact extends beyond simple data theft as attackers could potentially escalate privileges or use the discovered information to launch further attacks against the broader network infrastructure. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where the application runs with elevated privileges or has access to sensitive system resources.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-8925 should focus on immediate patch application from IBM, which would address the underlying file inclusion validation issues. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to the affected application, disable unnecessary file inclusion features, and conduct thorough input validation for all user-supplied data. Additionally, monitoring and logging of file access patterns should be enhanced to detect potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1083 for file and directory discovery, which attackers could leverage to maximize the impact of such vulnerabilities.