CVE-2017-1601 in Security Guardium
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Security Guardium 10.0, 10.0.1, and 10.1 through 10.1.4 Database Activity Monitor does not require that users should have strong passwords by default, which makes it easier for attackers to compromise user accounts. IBM X-Force ID: 132624.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/08/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1601 affects IBM Security Guardium Database Activity Monitor versions 10.0, 10.0.1, and 10.1 through 10.1.4, representing a critical weakness in authentication security controls that directly impacts user account protection. This flaw constitutes a failure in implementing mandatory strong password policies, creating an exploitable condition that significantly weakens the overall security posture of the database monitoring system. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-521 Weak Password Requirements, which specifically addresses the absence of adequate password strength controls that make systems susceptible to credential-based attacks. The affected IBM Security Guardium platform serves as a critical database activity monitoring solution that tracks and analyzes database activities, making it an attractive target for adversaries seeking unauthorized access to sensitive data environments.
The technical implementation flaw stems from the default configuration of the Guardium system failing to enforce minimum password complexity requirements, including factors such as minimum length, character variety, and resistance to common attack patterns. This configuration oversight allows users to create accounts with easily guessable passwords that lack the cryptographic strength necessary to withstand brute force, dictionary, or credential stuffing attacks. The vulnerability essentially removes the mandatory enforcement of password policies that should be standard in any security-conscious enterprise environment, creating a persistent weakness that can be exploited by threat actors with minimal technical expertise. The absence of strong password requirements represents a fundamental failure in the principle of least privilege and secure configuration management, as outlined in the NIST SP 800-63B digital identity guidelines.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability significantly increases the attack surface for the affected Guardium installations, making them more susceptible to unauthorized access and potential data breaches. Attackers can leverage this weakness to compromise user accounts through automated password guessing techniques, potentially gaining access to the database activity monitoring capabilities and the sensitive information they provide. The compromised system could allow adversaries to view, modify, or exfiltrate database activity logs, which contain critical information about database operations, user activities, and potential security incidents. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1110.003 for Brute Force and Credential Stuffing, as well as T1078 for Valid Accounts, since it enables unauthorized access through weak credential management practices. The impact extends beyond immediate unauthorized access to include potential privilege escalation and lateral movement within the network infrastructure.
Organizations should immediately implement remediation measures to address this vulnerability by enforcing strong password policies through the configuration management system. The recommended approach involves configuring the Guardium system to mandate minimum password lengths of at least 12 characters with mixed character sets including uppercase, lowercase, numeric, and special characters. Additionally, organizations should implement password complexity requirements that prevent the use of commonly used passwords, dictionary words, and sequential character patterns. The mitigation strategy should include regular security configuration reviews and automated compliance checking to ensure that password policies remain enforced across all user accounts. Organizations should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication as an additional security control to provide defense in depth against credential-based attacks. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining secure default configurations and demonstrates the critical need for regular security assessments and updates to prevent exploitation of known weaknesses in enterprise security tools.