CVE-2017-1264 in Security Guardium
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Security Guardium 10.0 does not prove or insufficiently proves that the actors identity is correct which can lead to exposure of resources or functionality to unintended actors. IBM X-Force ID: 124739.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/30/2020
IBM Security Guardium version 10.0 contains a critical authentication vulnerability that undermines the system's ability to verify actor identities properly. This weakness falls under the category of insufficient authentication mechanisms, creating a pathway for unauthorized access to sensitive resources and functionality. The vulnerability exists in the identity verification process where the system fails to adequately validate that actors attempting to access protected resources are who they claim to be. This authentication failure represents a significant security gap that can be exploited by malicious actors to gain unauthorized access to the Guardium environment.
The technical flaw manifests as a lack of proper identity proofing mechanisms within the authentication framework. When actors attempt to access Guardium resources, the system should validate their credentials and identity through robust authentication processes. However, in this case, the validation process is either completely absent or insufficiently implemented, allowing unauthorized users to potentially bypass authentication entirely. This vulnerability directly impacts the system's ability to maintain proper access controls and can lead to privilege escalation or unauthorized data access. The flaw aligns with CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues, specifically targeting the failure to properly authenticate users or systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access attempts. An attacker who successfully exploits this weakness could potentially gain access to sensitive database monitoring information, security policies, and other critical Guardium functionality. This exposure could lead to data breaches, unauthorized system modifications, and the compromise of the entire security monitoring infrastructure. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where Guardium is used to monitor and protect critical database assets, as unauthorized access could provide attackers with insights into database activities and potentially enable further attacks against the underlying systems. The risk is compounded by the fact that Guardium is designed to provide security monitoring and protection, making any compromise of its authentication mechanisms particularly dangerous.
Organizations using IBM Security Guardium 10.0 should immediately implement mitigations to address this authentication weakness. The primary recommendation involves applying the official IBM security patches and updates that address this specific vulnerability. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing additional authentication layers such as multi-factor authentication, network segmentation, and enhanced monitoring of authentication attempts. The implementation of these measures aligns with the ATT&CK framework's mitigation strategies for credential access and privilege escalation techniques. Organizations should also conduct thorough security assessments to identify any unauthorized access that may have occurred due to this vulnerability. Regular monitoring of access logs and implementation of automated alerting for suspicious authentication patterns can help detect exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of robust authentication mechanisms in security systems and serves as a reminder that even security tools themselves must maintain proper authentication integrity to prevent unauthorized access to their own protective capabilities.