CVE-2017-1756 in Business Process Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Business Process Manager 8.6 allows web pages to be stored locally which can be read by another user on the system. IBM X-Force ID: 135856.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/24/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1756 affects IBM Business Process Manager version 8.6, presenting a significant security flaw related to local storage handling on web applications. This issue stems from the improper management of web page storage mechanisms that enables unauthorized cross-user data access within the same system environment. The flaw represents a critical weakness in the application's security architecture, particularly concerning user isolation and data confidentiality principles that are fundamental to enterprise application security.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when web pages generated by the IBM Business Process Manager application utilize local storage mechanisms that do not properly enforce user boundaries or access controls. When one user's web page content is stored locally on the system, the storage mechanism fails to adequately isolate this data from other users who may subsequently access the same system resources. This creates a scenario where sensitive information, process data, or application state information could be inadvertently exposed to unauthorized users who share the same system or application instance. The flaw essentially undermines the expected security boundaries between different user sessions or tenants within the business process management environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure to encompass potential business process integrity threats and compliance violations. Organizations utilizing IBM Business Process Manager 8.6 may face scenarios where confidential business process information, workflow data, or user-specific application state could be accessed by competing users or unauthorized individuals within the same system. This compromise directly affects the principle of least privilege and can lead to information disclosure that may include sensitive business data, process definitions, or user-specific configurations that should remain isolated between different users or organizational units.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-200 - "Information Exposure" and represents a failure in proper access control implementation. The flaw demonstrates inadequate sandboxing or isolation mechanisms within the web application's local storage handling, creating a path for privilege escalation through data exposure. The issue also maps to ATT&CK technique T1083 - "File and Directory Discovery" as it enables unauthorized access to files that should be protected from cross-user access. Organizations may find this vulnerability particularly concerning in multi-tenant environments or shared system configurations where proper user separation is essential for maintaining data confidentiality and regulatory compliance.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper access controls for local storage mechanisms, ensuring that web application data is properly isolated between users. Organizations should consider updating to patched versions of IBM Business Process Manager, implementing additional application-level controls for local data storage, and conducting thorough security assessments of web application storage mechanisms. Network segmentation and proper user access controls should complement these technical fixes to prevent unauthorized data access. Regular security testing and monitoring for similar storage-related vulnerabilities should be implemented to maintain the security posture of business process management applications and prevent potential exploitation of similar flaws in the system architecture.