CVE-2017-1495 in InfoSphere Information Server
Summary
by MITRE
IBM InfoSphere Information Server 9.1, 11.3, and 11.5 could allow a privileged user to cause a memory dump that could contain highly sensitive information including access credentials. IBM X-Force ID: 128693.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/15/2024
IBM InfoSphere Information Server versions 9.1, 11.3, and 11.5 contain a critical vulnerability that allows authenticated users with sufficient privileges to trigger memory dump operations that may expose sensitive data including authentication credentials. This vulnerability represents a significant security risk as it enables privilege escalation and data exposure through memory corruption mechanisms. The flaw occurs within the server's memory management subsystem where proper access controls and data sanitization measures are insufficient to prevent unauthorized information disclosure. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and CWE-264 (Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls) within the Common Weakness Enumeration framework. Attackers with valid credentials can exploit this weakness to extract sensitive information from memory segments that should remain protected. The operational impact includes potential credential theft, unauthorized system access, and compromise of enterprise data integrity. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1003 (OS Credential Dumping) and T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) as it enables attackers to extract credentials from memory and potentially execute further malicious activities. The memory dump functionality in these IBM InfoSphere versions lacks proper input validation and access control enforcement, allowing authenticated users to bypass normal security boundaries. Organizations running these affected versions face heightened risk of insider threats and targeted attacks where attackers leverage legitimate user privileges to extract sensitive information. The vulnerability demonstrates poor defensive programming practices where memory operations do not adequately protect against unauthorized access to sensitive data structures. IBM has addressed this issue through security patches and updates that strengthen access controls and implement proper memory sanitization procedures. The fix ensures that memory dump operations require additional authorization levels and that sensitive information is properly cleared from memory segments after use. Security teams should prioritize patching these vulnerable versions and implement network segmentation to limit access to critical information server components. Regular monitoring for unauthorized memory dump operations and credential access patterns should be implemented as part of comprehensive security operations. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper privilege management and memory protection mechanisms in enterprise information systems, particularly those handling sensitive data and authentication credentials. Organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their information server deployments and ensure proper access controls are in place to prevent similar vulnerabilities from existing in other system components. This issue underscores the need for robust security testing and validation of memory management functions in enterprise software solutions.