CVE-2017-1253 in Security Guardium
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Security Guardium 10.0 could allow a remote authenticated attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the system. By sending a specially-crafted request, an attacker could exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary commands on the system. IBM X-Force ID: 124633.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/30/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1253 affects IBM Security Guardium version 10.0, a database security solution designed to monitor and protect database activities. This critical security flaw represents a remote code execution vulnerability that can be exploited by authenticated attackers who possess valid credentials to the system. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the application's processing of specially crafted requests, creating a pathway for malicious command injection attacks. The flaw specifically impacts the system's ability to properly sanitize user-supplied data, allowing attackers to manipulate the application's behavior through crafted inputs that bypass normal security controls.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a command injection flaw that occurs when the application processes user requests without adequate sanitization of input parameters. Attackers can construct malicious requests that, when processed by the vulnerable system, result in arbitrary command execution with the privileges of the application process. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-77 category, which specifically addresses command injection flaws in software systems. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it requires only authentication, making it accessible to users with legitimate access credentials rather than requiring initial compromise of the authentication system itself.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability poses significant risk to organizations relying on IBM Security Guardium for database protection. The remote execution capability allows attackers to potentially escalate privileges, access sensitive data, modify system configurations, or establish persistent access points within the network. The attack surface is particularly concerning as it affects a database security tool that is typically considered a critical component of an organization's security infrastructure. The vulnerability can be exploited across network boundaries, potentially allowing attackers to use the compromised Guardium instance as a pivot point for further attacks against other systems within the database environment. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 which covers command and scripting interpreter, and T1078 which addresses valid accounts for maintaining access.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates released by IBM to address this vulnerability. Network segmentation and access controls should be enhanced to limit the scope of potential exploitation, while monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual command execution patterns. Additionally, implementing principle of least privilege access controls for Guardium administrative functions can reduce the potential impact of successful exploitation. Security teams should conduct thorough assessments of their database security infrastructure to identify other potential vulnerabilities and ensure proper configuration of security controls around database monitoring systems. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing comprehensive security monitoring for critical infrastructure components.