CVE-2017-1201 in BigFix Compliance Analytics
Summary
by MITRE
IBM BigFix Compliance Analytics 1.9.79 (TEMA SUAv1 SCA SCM) stores user credentials in clear text which can be read by a local user. IBM X-Force ID: 123676.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/15/2021
IBM BigFix Compliance Analytics version 1.9.79 contains a critical security flaw where user credentials are stored in plaintext format within the system. This vulnerability represents a fundamental failure in credential management practices and violates established security principles for protecting sensitive authentication data. The flaw exists within the TEMA SUAv1 SCA SCM component of the broader BigFix platform, which is designed for compliance monitoring and analytics across enterprise environments. Attackers with local access to systems running this software can directly read stored credentials without requiring additional exploitation techniques, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in multi-tenant or shared hosting environments where local privileges might be accessible to unauthorized parties.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper credential storage mechanisms that fail to apply appropriate encryption or hashing algorithms to sensitive authentication data. This type of flaw maps directly to CWE-312, which specifically addresses the exposure of sensitive information through cleartext storage. The vulnerability exists at the application level within the compliance analytics framework, where authentication tokens, usernames, and passwords are persisted in unencrypted format within system files or configuration stores. This design decision creates an inherent risk that persists even when the system is not actively processing authentication requests, as the credentials remain accessible to any local user with sufficient privileges to read the relevant files.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it enables attackers to gain unauthorized access to enterprise compliance monitoring systems and potentially escalate privileges to access other network resources. Local users with read access to the system can extract authentication credentials that may grant them access to additional enterprise systems, databases, or network services that rely on the same authentication mechanisms. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations using BigFix for compliance monitoring across critical infrastructure, as compromised credentials could provide attackers with access to audit trails, compliance reports, and system configuration data that would otherwise remain protected. The risk is amplified in environments where multiple users share systems or where privilege escalation is possible through other attack vectors, as the stolen credentials could be used to maintain persistent access.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including restricting local system access to only authorized personnel, implementing file-level permissions that prevent unauthorized read access to credential storage locations, and considering immediate upgrades to patched versions of the BigFix Compliance Analytics software. System administrators should conduct comprehensive audits of all systems running vulnerable versions to identify and remediate any potential credential exposure. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of implementing principle of least privilege access controls and regular security assessments of third-party software components. Organizations should consider implementing additional monitoring and alerting mechanisms to detect unauthorized access attempts to credential storage locations, and should review their overall security posture to ensure that similar plaintext storage vulnerabilities do not exist in other critical applications. The remediation process should include not only patching the specific vulnerability but also implementing proper credential management practices that align with industry standards such as those outlined in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and ISO 27001 security requirements.