CVE-2016-8942 in Tivoli Storage Productivity Center
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Tivoli Storage Productivity Center could allow an authenticated user with intimate knowledge of the system to edit a limited set of properties on the server.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-8942 affects IBM Tivoli Storage Productivity Center, a comprehensive storage management solution designed to monitor, manage, and optimize storage environments across enterprise networks. This security flaw represents a privilege escalation issue that allows authenticated users with specific system knowledge to manipulate certain server properties, potentially compromising the integrity and availability of storage management operations. The vulnerability specifically targets the application's access control mechanisms, creating a pathway for unauthorized modification of critical system parameters.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient authorization checks within the Tivoli Storage Productivity Center application. An authenticated user who possesses intimate knowledge of the system's internal structure and component relationships can exploit this weakness to modify a limited set of server properties that should normally be restricted to administrative users. The flaw likely resides in the application's property management interfaces where access controls fail to properly validate user permissions before allowing modifications to critical configuration parameters. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control scenarios where systems fail to properly enforce authorization mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized modifications, as it can potentially disrupt storage management operations and compromise the overall security posture of the storage infrastructure. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could alter server configurations that affect data protection policies, backup schedules, or storage allocation parameters, leading to potential data loss or service disruption. The limited scope of properties that can be modified suggests that while the impact may be contained, the vulnerability still represents a significant risk to storage management integrity and could serve as a stepping stone for more extensive attacks within the storage environment. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers the exploitation of legitimate credentials to gain elevated privileges.
Organizations utilizing IBM Tivoli Storage Productivity Center should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches, reviewing and strengthening access controls, and conducting thorough audits of user permissions. Network segmentation and least-privilege principles should be enforced to limit the potential impact of credential compromise. Regular security assessments of storage management systems are essential to identify similar access control weaknesses that could be exploited by knowledgeable attackers. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of maintaining robust access control mechanisms in enterprise storage management solutions where unauthorized modifications could have far-reaching consequences for data availability and integrity across organizational storage infrastructures.