CVE-2017-1261 in Security Guardium
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Security Guardium 10.0 stores potentially sensitive information in log files that could be read by a local user. IBM X-Force ID: 124736.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/27/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1261 affects IBM Security Guardium version 10.0, a database security solution designed to monitor and protect database environments. This issue represents a significant security concern as it allows local users to potentially access sensitive information that should remain protected within the system. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of sensitive data within the logging mechanisms of the Guardium platform, creating an attack vector that could be exploited by adversaries with local system access.
The technical flaw manifests in how IBM Security Guardium 10.0 manages its logging processes, where sensitive information including but not limited to authentication credentials, database connection details, and potentially confidential operational data gets written to log files without adequate protection measures. These log files are typically stored in locations accessible to local users, creating a situation where unauthorized individuals with system-level access can read and extract potentially critical information from these files. The vulnerability falls under the category of information exposure, specifically addressing the improper handling of sensitive data in log files, which aligns with CWE-200, "Information Exposure" and CWE-532, "Insertion of Sensitive Information into Log File."
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can provide attackers with valuable intelligence for further exploitation attempts. Local users who gain access to these log files could potentially extract database credentials, connection strings, and other operational details that could facilitate privilege escalation attacks or lateral movement within the network. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely on Guardium for database security monitoring, as it undermines the very foundation of trust that security solutions are designed to provide. The impact is amplified when considering that database environments often contain highly sensitive information, making the potential exposure of credentials and connection details particularly dangerous.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1070.001, "Indicator Removal on Host: Clear Windows Event Logs," as it creates additional attack surfaces where sensitive information can be extracted from system logs. The vulnerability also relates to T1566, "Phishing," as the sensitive data exposure could potentially be leveraged to craft more sophisticated social engineering attacks. Organizations using IBM Security Guardium should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader security posture assessment, particularly in environments where local user access controls are not properly enforced. The issue represents a failure in the principle of least privilege and demonstrates the importance of implementing proper log file access controls and data sanitization processes.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-1261 should focus on multiple layers of defense to address the root cause. Organizations should immediately implement proper file system access controls on log directories to ensure that only authorized system processes and administrators can access sensitive log files. The implementation of log file encryption and the configuration of log rotation with proper cleanup procedures can significantly reduce the window of opportunity for information disclosure. Additionally, organizations should review their database security policies and ensure that sensitive information is not being logged in plain text format. IBM Security Guardium users should also consider implementing network segmentation and access control measures to limit local user privileges and reduce the potential impact of such vulnerabilities. The remediation process should include thorough testing of log file configurations and access controls to ensure that sensitive information is properly protected while maintaining the necessary operational logging capabilities for security monitoring and compliance purposes.