CVE-2017-1595 in Security Guardium
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Security Guardium 10.0 Database Activity Monitor could allow a local attacker to obtain highly sensitive information via unspecified vectors. IBM X-Force ID: 132549.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/27/2021
IBM Security Guardium 10.0 Database Activity Monitor contains a local information disclosure vulnerability that enables attackers with local system access to extract highly sensitive data through unspecified attack vectors. This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in the database monitoring solution that could compromise the integrity of sensitive information flows. The issue stems from inadequate access controls and information protection mechanisms within the Guardium monitoring framework, allowing local adversaries to bypass normal security boundaries and retrieve confidential data that should remain protected. Such a vulnerability directly contravenes security best practices and could undermine the entire purpose of database activity monitoring systems which are designed to protect against unauthorized access and data leakage. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests multiple potential entry points within the system architecture, making the vulnerability particularly concerning as it may be exploitable through various local attack methods.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability likely involves insufficient input validation, improper privilege separation, or inadequate data sanitization mechanisms within the Guardium monitoring components. Attackers could potentially leverage this flaw to access database credentials, audit logs, monitoring configurations, or other sensitive operational data that would normally be restricted to authorized personnel only. This information disclosure could enable further attacks including privilege escalation, lateral movement, or comprehensive system compromise. The vulnerability's classification as a local information disclosure aligns with common weakness enumerations such as CWE-200, which addresses information exposure, and CWE-269, which covers improper privilege management. From an operational perspective, this flaw could result in significant regulatory compliance violations, particularly under standards such as pci dss, hipaa, and gdpr, where unauthorized data access constitutes serious security breaches.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond immediate data exposure to encompass broader operational security implications. Organizations relying on Guardium for database monitoring would face potential compromise of their entire security posture, as the disclosed information could reveal monitoring gaps, system configurations, or access patterns that adversaries could exploit for more sophisticated attacks. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where database activity monitoring is critical for compliance and security operations, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to understand system weaknesses. The security implications align with attack techniques documented in the mitre att&ck framework under the information gathering and credential access domains, where local information disclosure serves as a foundational step for advanced persistent threats. Organizations may need to implement additional monitoring and access controls to detect potential exploitation attempts, while also ensuring that all system components maintain proper privilege separation and data protection mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of the vulnerable Guardium version, implementation of least privilege access controls, and enhanced monitoring of local system activities. System administrators should conduct comprehensive audits of local access permissions and implement proper segregation of duties within database monitoring environments. Organizations should also consider deploying additional security controls such as file integrity monitoring, privileged access management solutions, and regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other system components. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing comprehensive security testing procedures for all database monitoring and security solutions to prevent exploitation of local information disclosure flaws.