CVE-2017-1197 in BigFix Compliance
Summary
by MITRE
IBM BigFix Compliance (TEMA SUAv1 SCA SCM) uses an inadequate account lockout setting that could allow a remote attacker to brute force account credentials. IBM X-Force ID: 123672.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/28/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1197 affects IBM BigFix Compliance products including TEMA SUAv1 SCA SCM components, representing a critical security weakness in authentication mechanisms that could be exploited by remote attackers. This issue stems from insufficient account lockout configurations that fail to adequately protect against credential brute force attacks, creating a significant risk for organizations relying on these compliance management systems. The vulnerability specifically impacts the authentication security controls within the BigFix platform, which is widely used for enterprise compliance monitoring and security assessment operations.
The technical flaw manifests through inadequate account lockout policies that do not effectively prevent automated credential guessing attacks. When authentication attempts exceed normal thresholds without proper account lockout mechanisms, attackers can systematically test numerous credential combinations to gain unauthorized access to the system. This weakness allows for prolonged brute force operations that could eventually compromise legitimate user accounts and administrative privileges. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects the core authentication infrastructure of compliance management systems where unauthorized access could lead to complete system compromise and data exposure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft to encompass potential system-wide compromise and compliance violation risks. Organizations using IBM BigFix Compliance systems face significant exposure to unauthorized access attempts that could result in data breaches, system manipulation, and disruption of compliance monitoring operations. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability could gain access to sensitive compliance data, manipulate audit trails, and potentially escalate privileges to administrative levels. The risk is compounded by the fact that these systems are typically deployed in enterprise environments where they manage critical security assessments and compliance reporting functions.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing robust account lockout policies that enforce reasonable limits on authentication attempts while maintaining operational usability. Organizations should configure the system to automatically lock accounts after a specified number of failed login attempts and implement temporary lockout periods that prevent repeated brute force attempts. Network-level protections including intrusion detection systems and rate limiting should be deployed to monitor and block suspicious authentication patterns. Additionally, organizations should implement multi-factor authentication mechanisms to add additional security layers beyond traditional password authentication. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-307 and ATT&CK techniques related to credential access and privilege escalation, emphasizing the need for comprehensive authentication security controls. Regular security assessments and monitoring of authentication logs should be implemented to detect and respond to potential exploitation attempts.