CVE-2017-1268 in Security Guardium
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Security Guardium 10 and 10.5 uses a one-way cryptographic hash against an input that should not be reversible, such as a password, but the software does not also use a salt as part of the input. IBM X-Force ID: 124743.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/18/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1268 affects IBM Security Guardium versions 10 and 10.5, representing a critical weakness in the cryptographic implementation used for password handling within the security solution. This issue stems from the improper use of cryptographic hash functions that should provide irreversible one-way transformations but fail to incorporate essential security mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically targets the authentication and access control components of the Guardium platform, which is designed to monitor and protect database environments through advanced security analytics and compliance monitoring.
The technical flaw manifests when the system employs cryptographic hashing without implementing proper salting mechanisms, creating a predictable and vulnerable cryptographic environment. According to CWE-328, this represents a weakness in the use of a one-way hash without salt, which fundamentally undermines the security properties of the cryptographic implementation. The absence of salt allows attackers to employ precomputed rainbow table attacks or dictionary attacks more effectively, as identical passwords will produce identical hash values that can be readily reversed through lookup tables. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of cryptographic best practices where salt values should be randomly generated and unique for each password to prevent such attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential compromise, as it affects the core security posture of organizations relying on IBM Security Guardium for database protection. Attackers who can exploit this weakness gain the ability to reverse engineer user passwords, potentially gaining unauthorized access to database systems and sensitive information. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where Guardium is deployed to monitor and control access to critical data assets, as successful exploitation could lead to complete compromise of the monitored database infrastructure. This weakness creates a pathway for lateral movement within networks and could enable attackers to escalate privileges and access additional systems within the organization's security perimeter.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of IBM Security Guardium that properly implement salted hashing mechanisms. The remediation process requires organizations to verify that all password hashing operations now incorporate unique salt values for each password, following cryptographic standards such as those outlined in NIST SP 800-132 for password-based key derivation. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify any existing compromised credentials and implement additional authentication controls such as multi-factor authentication to reduce the risk of exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper cryptographic implementation and adherence to security standards, as highlighted in the ATT&CK framework's credential access tactics where weak password hashing represents a fundamental attack vector for adversaries seeking unauthorized system access.