CVE-2017-1107 in Marketing Platform
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Marketing Platform 9.1.0, 9.1.2, 10.0, and 10.1 exposes sensitive information in the headers that could be used by an authenticated attacker in further attacks against the system. IBM X-Force ID: 120906.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/06/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1107 affects IBM Marketing Platform versions 9.1.0, 9.1.2, 10.0, and 10.1, representing a significant information disclosure weakness that undermines system security posture. This vulnerability falls under the category of insecure information handling within web applications, specifically manifesting through the exposure of sensitive headers that contain critical system information. The flaw allows authenticated attackers to gain unauthorized access to metadata that should remain protected within the application's internal communication channels.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper header management within the IBM Marketing Platform's web server components. When authenticated users interact with the platform, sensitive information such as server version details, internal paths, and potentially session identifiers are inadvertently exposed through HTTP response headers. This information disclosure occurs without proper access controls or sanitization mechanisms that should normally filter out confidential data before it reaches the client-side. The vulnerability demonstrates poor security engineering practices where header content is not adequately reviewed for sensitive information prior to transmission.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a substantial risk for organizations utilizing IBM Marketing Platform, as it provides attackers with valuable reconnaissance data that can be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks. The exposed headers can reveal internal system architecture details that would normally be hidden from external observers, enabling attackers to craft targeted exploits against known system versions. This information disclosure creates opportunities for privilege escalation attacks, where authenticated users can exploit the exposed metadata to identify potential weaknesses in the application's security model. The vulnerability directly impacts the principle of least privilege by providing unnecessary information that could aid in system compromise.
The security implications extend beyond simple information disclosure, as this vulnerability aligns with multiple attack patterns documented in the ATT&CK framework under reconnaissance and credential access phases. The exposed headers may contain system identifiers, version numbers, and architectural details that facilitate automated scanning and exploitation activities. Organizations should consider this vulnerability in the context of CWE-200, which specifically addresses improper exposure of information, and CWE-352, which covers cross-site request forgery vulnerabilities that could be amplified through this information exposure. The vulnerability represents a failure in secure coding practices and demonstrates the importance of implementing proper input validation and output sanitization mechanisms.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including header sanitization policies, regular security assessments of web application headers, and implementation of security headers such as X-Content-Type-Options and X-Frame-Options to prevent information leakage. The recommended approach involves configuring web servers to remove or obscure sensitive information from response headers, implementing proper access controls, and conducting regular security audits to ensure that no confidential data is exposed through application communication channels. Additionally, organizations should consider network segmentation and monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts based on the information disclosed through these headers, as the vulnerability creates a persistent risk that requires ongoing vigilance and proactive security measures.