CVE-2017-1153 in TRIRIGA Report Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM TRIRIGA Report Manager 3.2 through 3.5 contains a vulnerability that could allow an authenticated user to execute actions that they do not have access to. IBM Reference #: 1999563.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/15/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1153 resides within IBM TRIRIGA Report Manager versions 3.2 through 3.5, representing a critical authorization bypass flaw that undermines the system's access control mechanisms. This issue stems from insufficient validation of user permissions during report execution processes, allowing authenticated users to escalate their privileges and perform unauthorized actions within the application. The vulnerability specifically affects the report management functionality where proper access controls fail to prevent users from executing operations beyond their designated permissions. IBM TRIRIGA Report Manager serves as a comprehensive reporting platform for enterprise asset management, making this authorization flaw particularly concerning given the sensitive nature of the data and operations it handles. The affected system components include the report execution engine and permission validation modules that should enforce strict access controls based on user roles and entitlements.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through inadequate input sanitization and privilege validation within the report manager's authentication flow. When authenticated users submit report requests, the system fails to properly verify whether the requesting user possesses sufficient privileges to execute the specific report action. This weakness creates a path for privilege escalation where users can manipulate report parameters or execution contexts to access restricted functionalities. The flaw operates at the application layer and can be exploited through crafted report requests that bypass normal authorization checks. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-285: Improper Authorization, which encompasses issues where systems fail to properly enforce access controls for authenticated users. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal prerequisites since it only necessitates an existing valid user account, making it particularly dangerous in environments where user access is not strictly monitored.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-1153 extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential data breaches and system compromise within enterprise environments that utilize IBM TRIRIGA. Organizations relying on this reporting platform for asset management, facility operations, and business intelligence may experience unauthorized disclosure of sensitive operational data, including financial records, maintenance schedules, and asset configurations. The vulnerability enables attackers to potentially execute administrative functions such as creating new user accounts, modifying existing permissions, or accessing restricted report datasets that contain confidential information. This authorization bypass could lead to significant business disruption and regulatory compliance violations, particularly in industries subject to strict data protection requirements. The attack vector is relatively straightforward since it requires only authenticated access, making it difficult to detect and prevent through traditional network monitoring approaches.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patch deployment from IBM, as the vendor has released fixes addressing the authorization bypass issue in newer versions of TRIRIGA Report Manager. Organizations should implement comprehensive access control reviews to identify and remediate any existing unauthorized user privileges that could be exploited. Network segmentation and privileged access management solutions can provide additional defense-in-depth layers to limit potential impact if exploitation occurs. Security teams should conduct thorough audits of report execution permissions and user entitlements to ensure proper segregation of duties. The remediation process should include disabling unnecessary report functionality and implementing strict monitoring of report execution activities. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability relates to T1078: Valid Accounts and T1484: Group Policy Modification, indicating that exploitation may involve legitimate user accounts and could lead to persistent access. Organizations should also consider implementing privileged access management tools and regular security assessments to prevent similar authorization flaws from emerging in other enterprise applications. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of proper access control implementation and regular security testing of enterprise applications.