CVE-2017-1705 in Security Privileged Identity Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Security Privileged Identity Manager 2.1.0 contains left-over, sensitive information in page comments. While this information is not visible at first it can be obtained by viewing the page source. IBM X-Force ID: 134427.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/24/2023
IBM Security Privileged Identity Manager version 2.1.0 suffers from a sensitive data exposure vulnerability where residual confidential information remains embedded within HTML page comments. This flaw represents a classic case of insecure data handling where administrative credentials, session tokens, or other privileged information are inadvertently left in the source code of web pages. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-200, which addresses the exposure of sensitive information, and falls within the broader category of information disclosure issues that can significantly compromise system security. Attackers can exploit this weakness by simply viewing the page source code to extract the hidden sensitive data, making it a particularly dangerous flaw since it requires no sophisticated techniques to discover and exploit. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in privileged identity management systems where the exposed information could grant unauthorized access to critical administrative functions and sensitive organizational data.
The technical implementation of this flaw demonstrates poor input sanitization and output encoding practices within the IBM Security Privileged Identity Manager application. When the web application generates HTML pages, it fails to properly sanitize or remove sensitive data from comment sections, leaving behind traces of privileged information that should never be exposed to end users. This vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be classified under ATT&CK technique T1552.001, which focuses on credentials in files, as the exposed information essentially constitutes credential material stored in web page comments. The flaw occurs during the page generation process where developers may have included debugging information, configuration parameters, or authentication tokens in HTML comments for development purposes but failed to strip this data before production deployment. This represents a fundamental breakdown in the principle of least privilege and secure coding practices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure as it directly undermines the security posture of organizations using IBM Security Privileged Identity Manager. When privileged credentials or session identifiers are exposed in page comments, attackers can gain unauthorized access to administrative functions, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality and integrity of the privileged identity management system, making it easier for threat actors to escalate privileges and move laterally within the network. Organizations may experience significant security incidents including unauthorized access to sensitive data, privilege escalation attacks, and potential data breaches. The exposure of such information can also result in compliance violations under various regulatory frameworks including pci dss, hipaa, and soc 2, as it represents a failure to properly protect sensitive information. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by its stealth nature, as the sensitive data remains hidden from normal user interaction but can be easily extracted by anyone with basic web browsing capabilities.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability by ensuring all web application output undergoes proper sanitization before deployment. The recommended approach includes implementing automated code review processes that scan for sensitive data in HTML comments and other non-visible elements. Security teams should conduct thorough source code reviews to identify and remove any residual privileged information that may have been inadvertently included in page comments during development phases. The implementation of a secure coding standard that explicitly prohibits the inclusion of sensitive data in HTML comments or other non-encrypted output formats is essential. Additionally, organizations should deploy web application firewalls and content security policies that can detect and prevent the exposure of sensitive information in web page source code. Regular security testing including penetration testing and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other components of the privileged identity management system. The remediation process should also include comprehensive staff training on secure coding practices and the importance of proper data sanitization in web applications to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future development cycles.