CVE-2017-1787 in Publishing Engine
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Publishing Engine 2.1.2 and 6.0.5 contains an undisclosed vulnerability that could allow a local user with administrative privileges to obtain hard coded user credentials. IBM X-Force ID: 137022.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/25/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1787 affects IBM Publishing Engine versions 2.1.2 and 6.0.5, representing a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of the system's authentication mechanisms. This issue specifically targets local users who possess administrative privileges, creating a significant risk vector that could be exploited to gain unauthorized access to system resources. The vulnerability manifests through the presence of hard-coded user credentials within the application's configuration files or source code, which represents a fundamental breach of security best practices and provides an attack surface that directly violates industry standards such as those outlined in CWE-798. The disclosure of these hardcoded credentials creates a persistent threat that remains active regardless of password changes or other authentication updates, as these credentials are embedded within the application's core functionality.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from poor secure coding practices where developers embedded authentication credentials directly into the application code or configuration files rather than utilizing dynamic credential management systems. This approach violates fundamental security principles and creates a situation where even if system administrators update user passwords or implement stronger authentication mechanisms, the hardcoded credentials remain accessible to any local user with administrative access. The flaw essentially creates a backdoor mechanism that bypasses normal authentication procedures, allowing attackers to gain elevated privileges without proper authorization. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the system level and requires minimal expertise to exploit, making it a preferred target for both malicious actors and penetration testers. The presence of such credentials in the application's codebase represents a failure in secure development lifecycle practices and demonstrates a lack of proper credential management protocols.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for organizations utilizing IBM Publishing Engine, as it provides a persistent access mechanism that can be exploited by both internal and external threat actors. The local administrative access required for exploitation limits the immediate scope but does not eliminate the potential for lateral movement within the network, as these credentials could be used to access other systems or services where the same credentials might be reused. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it could enable attackers to modify content, alter system configurations, or potentially escalate privileges to gain broader network access. Organizations may face compliance violations and regulatory penalties if this vulnerability is exploited, particularly in environments governed by standards such as iso 27001 or pci dss where proper credential management is mandatory. The long-term implications include potential data breaches, system compromise, and the need for extensive security remediation efforts.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including the verification of the presence of hardcoded credentials within their IBM Publishing Engine installations and the implementation of proper credential management protocols. The recommended approach involves conducting comprehensive security assessments to identify all instances of hardcoded credentials and replacing them with secure authentication mechanisms that utilize dynamic credential retrieval or centralized credential management systems. System administrators should also implement monitoring solutions to detect unusual access patterns or attempts to access system resources that might indicate exploitation of this vulnerability. The remediation process should include updating to patched versions of IBM Publishing Engine where available and implementing network segmentation to limit local administrative access. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular security training for developers to prevent similar issues in future software development cycles and ensure compliance with secure coding standards. This vulnerability highlights the importance of the principle of least privilege and demonstrates how hardcoded credentials can create persistent security risks that remain active even after other system vulnerabilities are addressed. The incident should trigger a comprehensive review of all applications for similar security flaws and the implementation of automated tools to detect hardcoded credentials during the software development lifecycle.