CVE-2017-1342 in Insights Foundation for Energy
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Insights Foundation for Energy 2.0 could reveal sensitive information in error messages to authenticated users that could e used to conduct further attacks. IBM X-Force ID: 126457.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1342 affects IBM Insights Foundation for Energy version 2.0, representing a critical information disclosure flaw that undermines the system's security posture. This issue manifests through error messages that inadvertently expose sensitive system details to authenticated users who possess valid credentials. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and error handling mechanisms within the energy insights platform, creating an avenue for attackers to gather intelligence about the underlying system architecture and operational parameters.
The technical flaw resides in the application's error message generation process where system-specific information such as file paths, database structures, or internal component names are included in error responses. This occurs when the system encounters malformed input or processing failures, and the error handling routine fails to sanitize the output before presenting it to authenticated users. The vulnerability operates under CWE-200, which specifically addresses the exposure of sensitive information to an unauthorized actor, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1212 which focuses on data manipulation through error handling. Attackers with valid authentication credentials can leverage this weakness to conduct reconnaissance activities, potentially identifying system vulnerabilities that would otherwise remain hidden.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it enables attackers to perform more sophisticated attacks by gathering intelligence about the target system. An authenticated attacker can use the leaked information to understand system internals, identify potential attack vectors, and plan subsequent exploitation attempts. This includes mapping database schemas, identifying system components, and understanding the application's architecture which significantly reduces the difficulty of executing more complex attacks such as SQL injection, privilege escalation, or cross-site scripting. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations relying on energy insights platforms where system integrity and data confidentiality are paramount for operational security and compliance requirements.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing robust error handling procedures that sanitize all error messages before display to users. Organizations should enforce strict input validation mechanisms to prevent malformed data from triggering system errors, while also implementing comprehensive logging and monitoring systems to detect unusual error message patterns. The remediation approach should include code reviews to ensure error handling routines do not expose internal system details, and regular security testing to identify similar vulnerabilities across the application stack. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and principle of least privilege should limit the potential damage from authenticated attacks, while maintaining detailed audit trails to track any exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing application firewalls or web application security solutions that can filter and normalize error messages before they reach end users, aligning with ATT&CK mitigation strategies for preventing information disclosure through error handling.