CVE-2017-1716 in Tivoli Workload Scheduler
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Tivoli Workload Scheduler 8.6.0, 9.1.0, and 9.2.0 could disclose sensitive information to a local attacker due to improper permission settings. IBM X-Force ID: 134638.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/27/2021
IBM Tivoli Workload Scheduler represents a critical enterprise workload management solution that orchestrates complex job scheduling and execution across distributed environments. This vulnerability affects versions 8.6.0, 9.1.0, and 9.2.0 of the software, creating a significant security risk through improper permission settings that allow local attackers to access sensitive information. The flaw stems from inadequate access control mechanisms within the application's file system permissions and process management structures. Attackers with local system access can exploit this weakness to read configuration files, job definitions, and potentially sensitive credentials or authentication tokens that should remain protected. This vulnerability directly relates to CWE-276, which addresses improper file permissions, and represents a fundamental failure in the principle of least privilege enforcement. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure as it can enable attackers to gain deeper insights into the organization's scheduling infrastructure, potentially leading to more sophisticated attacks.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through local system access points where attackers can manipulate file permissions or directly access application data structures. When the scheduler processes jobs, it maintains various data files and configuration elements that contain sensitive operational information including user credentials, job dependencies, and system parameters. The improper permission settings mean these files may be accessible to unauthorized local users or processes running with lower privileges. This misconfiguration allows attackers to extract valuable intelligence about the organization's workload management practices, potentially revealing system architecture details, job scheduling patterns, and operational dependencies that could be leveraged in subsequent attack phases. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1083, which covers discovering file and directory permissions, and T1005, which addresses data from local system information. The attack surface is particularly concerning because workload schedulers typically contain information about critical business processes, system dependencies, and operational workflows that can provide attackers with strategic advantages.
Organizations utilizing affected versions of IBM Tivoli Workload Scheduler face substantial operational risks from this vulnerability. The disclosure of sensitive information could compromise business continuity planning, expose critical system dependencies, and potentially enable attackers to disrupt scheduled operations or manipulate job execution sequences. The impact on system integrity is significant as attackers could potentially modify job parameters or access restricted configuration files to alter system behavior. This vulnerability particularly affects enterprises with complex scheduling requirements where the workload scheduler manages critical business processes and integrates with multiple system components. The risk assessment must consider both the immediate information disclosure threat and the potential for escalation to more serious compromise scenarios. Organizations should evaluate their current monitoring capabilities to detect unauthorized access attempts to scheduling system files and consider implementing additional access controls beyond the default permissions.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate permission adjustments and comprehensive access control reviews. System administrators must ensure that all configuration files, job definitions, and sensitive data structures within the Tivoli Workload Scheduler environment maintain appropriate file permissions and access controls. The remediation process involves verifying that only authorized users and processes can access sensitive system files, implementing proper directory permissions, and ensuring that default installation settings are reviewed and hardened. Organizations should also implement regular security audits to verify that access controls remain properly configured as system changes occur. The recommended approach includes disabling unnecessary local access, implementing proper user privilege separation, and establishing monitoring protocols for unauthorized file access attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network segmentation to limit local access points to critical systems and ensure that any local access is properly authenticated and authorized through established security protocols. This vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining strict access control policies and demonstrates how seemingly minor permission misconfigurations can create significant security risks in enterprise workload management systems.