CVE-2017-1122 in Security Guardium
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Security Guardium 8.2, 9.0, and 10.0 contains a vulnerability that could allow a local attacker with CLI access to inject arbitrary commands which would be executed as root. IBM X-Force ID: 121174.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/21/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1122 affects IBM Security Guardium versions 8.2, 9.0, and 10.0, representing a critical command injection flaw that enables local attackers with command line interface access to execute arbitrary code with root privileges. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the application's command processing mechanisms, creating an avenue for malicious command injection attacks that bypass normal security controls. The flaw specifically impacts the privilege escalation capabilities of the system, allowing attackers to gain elevated system access that would normally be restricted to authorized administrators only.
This security weakness manifests as a command injection vulnerability that aligns with CWE-77, which classifies improper neutralization of special elements used in a command. The vulnerability exists in the context of local privilege escalation where an attacker with legitimate CLI access can manipulate input parameters to execute unintended system commands. The attack vector requires local system access, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users have command line privileges or where administrative accounts are compromised. The vulnerability's impact is amplified because successful exploitation results in root-level execution privileges, providing attackers with complete system control.
The operational consequences of this vulnerability extend beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass complete system compromise and potential data exfiltration. Attackers could leverage this flaw to install backdoors, modify system configurations, access sensitive data, or establish persistent access to the affected systems. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the Guardium security platform, potentially undermining the security posture of organizations relying on this database activity monitoring solution. Given that Guardium is designed to protect database environments, exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to critical database resources and sensitive information stored within protected databases.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability maps to several ATT&CK techniques including privilege escalation through command injection and execution through legitimate system tools. The attack scenario typically involves an attacker who has already gained local access to the system through legitimate means such as administrative accounts or compromised credentials. The mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of affected versions, implementation of least privilege principles, and enhanced monitoring of command line activities. Organizations should also consider implementing input validation controls, restricting CLI access to authorized personnel only, and deploying additional security controls such as host-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious command execution patterns.
The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input sanitization and privilege separation in security-critical applications. IBM addressed this issue through patches and updates to the affected Guardium versions, emphasizing the need for organizations to maintain current security updates and implement comprehensive vulnerability management processes. Security practitioners should treat this vulnerability as a high-priority concern, particularly in environments where database security monitoring is critical and where the risk of local privilege escalation could have severe operational impacts. The incident underscores the necessity of conducting regular security assessments and maintaining awareness of known vulnerabilities within security tooling platforms.