CVE-2017-1670 in Tivoli Key Lifecycle Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Tivoli Key Lifecycle Manager 2.5, 2.6, and 2.7 is vulnerable to SQL injection. A remote attacker could send specially-crafted SQL statements, which could allow the attacker to view, add, modify or delete information in the back-end database. IBM X-Force ID: 133637.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/29/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1670 affects IBM Tivoli Key Lifecycle Manager versions 2.5, 2.6, and 2.7, representing a critical SQL injection flaw that exposes the system to remote exploitation. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection vulnerabilities where untrusted data is incorporated into SQL commands without proper sanitization or parameterization. The affected component serves as a key management system responsible for lifecycle operations of cryptographic keys, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise sensitive cryptographic infrastructure.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers can craft malicious SQL statements that are subsequently executed against the backend database. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the application's database interaction layers, allowing attackers to inject malicious SQL code through input fields or parameters that are not properly escaped or parameterized. This vulnerability enables attackers to perform unauthorized database operations including data enumeration, data modification, data insertion, and data deletion. The impact extends beyond simple data theft to include potential disruption of key management processes and compromise of cryptographic key integrity.
From an operational perspective, the vulnerability presents significant risks to organizations relying on IBM Tivoli Key Lifecycle Manager for cryptographic key management. The ability to modify or delete key data could result in complete loss of cryptographic protection for sensitive information, while unauthorized data access could expose confidential key material and system configurations. The attack surface is particularly concerning as it allows for persistent access to the database backend, potentially enabling attackers to escalate privileges or establish long-term presence within the target environment. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.005 for application layer protocol usage and T1046 for network service discovery, as attackers would likely map the database infrastructure and exploit the SQL injection to gain deeper system access.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates, implementing web application firewalls to detect and block SQL injection attempts, and conducting thorough input validation across all user-facing interfaces. Database access controls should be reviewed and strengthened with principle of least privilege enforcement, while monitoring systems should be enhanced to detect anomalous database access patterns. Additional protective measures include implementing proper parameterized queries throughout the application code, conducting regular security assessments of the key management infrastructure, and establishing network segmentation to limit access to database servers. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in security-critical applications and serves as a reminder of the potential catastrophic impact when database integrity is compromised in cryptographic key management systems.