CVE-2017-1755 in Security Identity Governance Virtual Appliance
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Security Identity Governance Virtual Appliance 5.2 through 5.2.3.2 could allow a local attacker to inject commands into malicious files that could be executed by the administrator. IBM X-Force ID: 135855.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/01/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1755 affects IBM Security Identity Governance Virtual Appliance versions 5.2 through 5.2.3.2, representing a critical command injection flaw that enables local attackers to manipulate system processes through malicious file injection. This vulnerability resides within the appliance's file handling mechanisms where insufficient input validation allows crafted commands to be embedded within files that the administrator subsequently processes. The flaw operates at the application level and specifically targets the appliance's administrative functions, creating a privilege escalation pathway that could be exploited by attackers with local access to the system. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-77 as Command Injection, which is a well-documented weakness in software systems where user-supplied data is directly incorporated into command execution without proper sanitization or validation. This particular implementation vulnerability demonstrates poor input filtering practices in the appliance's file processing pipeline, where the system fails to properly validate or escape special characters that could be interpreted as command delimiters or execution indicators. The security implications extend beyond simple command injection as this flaw could potentially allow attackers to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges, given that the malicious commands would be processed by administrative functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for organizations relying on IBM Security Identity Governance Virtual Appliance for identity management and access control. Local attackers who gain access to the system through any means could exploit this flaw to execute malicious commands that might compromise the integrity of the identity governance processes, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive identity data, privilege escalation, or complete system compromise. The attack vector requires local system access, which means that attackers must first breach the system's initial security controls to reach the vulnerable component, but once inside the system, the vulnerability provides a powerful escalation mechanism. The affected appliance is commonly deployed in enterprise environments where identity governance is critical for regulatory compliance, access control, and security auditing. Organizations using this appliance may face compliance violations or security breaches if the vulnerability is exploited, particularly in regulated industries where identity management systems are subject to strict security requirements. The vulnerability also poses risks to the appliance's administrative functions, which could be compromised to alter access controls, modify user permissions, or disable security features. The exploitation of this vulnerability could potentially enable attackers to establish persistent access or create backdoors within the identity governance infrastructure, making the attack more difficult to detect and remediate. This type of vulnerability directly impacts the CIA triad, compromising the integrity and availability of identity management services while potentially affecting confidentiality through unauthorized data access.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates, conducting comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any potential exploitation attempts, and implementing strict access controls to limit local system access. System administrators should also review and monitor file processing activities for suspicious command injection patterns, and establish network segmentation to limit the attack surface. The vulnerability highlights the importance of input validation and sanitization practices in security-critical applications, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1068 for Exploitation for Privilege Escalation. Organizations should consider implementing additional logging and monitoring for administrative file processing activities, as well as conducting regular security audits of critical system components. The appliance should be configured with least privilege principles, ensuring that local access is restricted to authorized personnel only, and that administrative functions are protected through proper authentication and authorization controls. Additionally, organizations should establish incident response procedures specifically addressing command injection vulnerabilities and ensure that security teams are trained to identify and respond to such threats effectively. Regular security testing including penetration testing and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in related systems and applications within the organization's infrastructure. The vulnerability underscores the necessity of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing comprehensive security monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous command execution patterns in identity management systems.