CVE-2017-1453 in Security Access Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Security Access Manager Appliance 9.0.3 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: 128372.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/23/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1453 affects IBM Security Access Manager Appliance version 9.0.3, representing a critical remote command execution flaw that undermines the security posture of enterprise access control systems. This vulnerability resides within the appliance's web interface handling mechanisms, where insufficient input validation allows maliciously crafted requests to bypass authentication controls and execute arbitrary code on the underlying system. The flaw specifically impacts the appliance's ability to properly sanitize user-supplied data before processing, creating a pathway for authenticated attackers to escalate their privileges and gain full system control. Security researchers have classified this as a remote code execution vulnerability that can be exploited without requiring special privileges beyond initial authentication access, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where such appliances typically operate with elevated system permissions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the appliance's web application framework, which fails to adequately filter or escape user-provided parameters before they are processed by the backend system. This weakness creates a direct pathway for command injection attacks, where an attacker can manipulate the application's request handling logic to execute arbitrary system commands with the privileges of the web application process. The vulnerability manifests when the appliance processes specially crafted HTTP requests that contain malicious payloads designed to exploit the input validation gap. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-77 and CWE-78, representing command injection flaws that allow attackers to execute arbitrary commands through improperly sanitized input. The attack vector requires only that an attacker possess valid authentication credentials, which significantly reduces the barrier to exploitation compared to vulnerabilities requiring additional reconnaissance or privilege escalation techniques.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-1453 extends far beyond simple system compromise, as it provides attackers with complete control over the Security Access Manager appliance and potentially the entire network infrastructure it protects. Once exploited, attackers can manipulate access control policies, modify user permissions, intercept authentication flows, and gain visibility into protected network resources that the appliance is designed to secure. The compromised appliance becomes a potential pivot point for further attacks within the network, as attackers can leverage the system's elevated privileges to move laterally between network segments and target additional systems. Organizations using this appliance in production environments face significant risk of data breaches, unauthorized access to sensitive resources, and potential regulatory compliance violations, particularly in industries governed by standards such as pci dss, hipaa, and soc 2. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers can exploit it from anywhere on the internet, provided they have valid credentials, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that maintain public-facing authentication services.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-1453 should prioritize immediate implementation of vendor-provided patches and updates, as IBM has released security fixes specifically addressing this vulnerability. Organizations must also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential impact of exploitation, ensuring that even if an attacker compromises one system, they cannot easily move laterally through the network. Additional protective measures include implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious requests, conducting regular security assessments of the appliance configuration, and establishing robust monitoring protocols to detect anomalous command execution patterns. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, and T1078 for valid accounts, highlighting the need for both network-level and account-based security controls. Security teams should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication for all administrative access points and establishing strict access control policies that limit the number of users with elevated privileges. Regular vulnerability scanning and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other components of the security infrastructure, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and sanitization across all application layers.