CVE-2016-9739 in Security Identity Manager Virtual Appliance
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Security Identity Manager Virtual Appliance stores user credentials in plain in clear text which can be read by a local user.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/11/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-9739 affects IBM Security Identity Manager Virtual Appliance, a critical component in identity and access management solutions. This weakness represents a severe configuration flaw that undermines the fundamental security principles of credential protection. The vulnerability stems from the improper storage of user authentication credentials within the virtual appliance environment, where sensitive information is maintained in plaintext format rather than being properly encrypted or hashed. This design oversight creates an inherent risk that directly violates security best practices and industry standards for credential management.
The technical flaw manifests when user credentials are persisted in clear text within the appliance's storage mechanisms, making them immediately accessible to any local user who gains access to the system. This represents a classic case of insufficient data protection at rest, where the system fails to implement proper encryption or obfuscation techniques for sensitive information. The vulnerability allows local privilege escalation scenarios where unauthorized users can directly read stored credentials without requiring additional exploitation techniques. From a cybersecurity perspective, this weakness aligns with CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) and demonstrates poor implementation of the principle of least privilege. The attack surface is significantly expanded since local access to the system automatically provides access to all stored credentials, eliminating the need for complex exploitation methods.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, potentially enabling broader security breaches within enterprise environments that rely on IBM Security Identity Manager Virtual Appliance. An attacker with local access can immediately compromise multiple user accounts and gain unauthorized access to protected systems and resources. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that depend on centralized identity management solutions, as the compromise of stored credentials can lead to lateral movement throughout the network and potential access to sensitive corporate data. The risk is compounded in environments where the virtual appliance runs with elevated privileges, as credential compromise can lead to complete system takeover. From an att&ck framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to technique T1003 (Credential Dumping) and T1078 (Valid Accounts) as it enables unauthorized access to legitimate user credentials without requiring additional authentication bypass techniques.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including restricting local access to the virtual appliance, implementing strict access controls, and conducting comprehensive credential rotation procedures. The recommended approach involves disabling unnecessary local accounts, implementing strong authentication mechanisms, and ensuring that any stored credentials are properly encrypted using industry-standard encryption algorithms. System administrators should also consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized local access attempts and establish regular security audits to identify potential compromise scenarios. Additionally, organizations should review their overall identity management strategy and consider migrating to more secure credential storage mechanisms that properly implement encryption at rest. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following security frameworks such as NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001 controls for information security management, particularly those related to access control and data protection.