CVE-2018-1387 in Application Performance Management for Monitoring
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Application Performance Management for Monitoring & Diagnostics (IBM Monitoring 8.1.3 and 8.1.4) may release sensitive personal data to the staff who can access to the database of this product. IBM X-Force ID: 138210.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/17/2023
This vulnerability exists within IBM Application Performance Management for Monitoring & Diagnostics version 8.1.3 and 8.1.4, representing a significant data exposure risk that violates fundamental security principles of data protection and access control. The flaw allows unauthorized personnel with database access privileges to extract sensitive personal information that should remain protected within the system. This represents a critical breakdown in the principle of least privilege and data classification enforcement that organizations rely upon to maintain regulatory compliance and protect individual privacy rights. The vulnerability specifically impacts the database layer of the monitoring solution, where personal data is stored and potentially accessible through improper access controls or query mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate data access controls and insufficient input validation within the database interaction components of the IBM Monitoring product. Attackers or compromised insiders with database access permissions can exploit this weakness to retrieve personal data that should be restricted to authorized personnel only. This flaw operates at the intersection of data exposure and privilege escalation, where the system fails to properly enforce data access boundaries and maintain proper data segregation. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses improper exposure of sensitive information, and demonstrates how weak access control mechanisms can lead to unauthorized data disclosure. The issue manifests when database queries or administrative functions do not properly validate user permissions or filter results based on data sensitivity levels.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure to encompass regulatory compliance violations, potential legal ramifications, and significant reputational damage for affected organizations. Organizations using IBM Monitoring 8.1.3 and 8.1.4 may face violations of data protection regulations such as gdpr, hipaa, and other privacy frameworks that mandate strict controls over personal data handling. The vulnerability creates an attack surface where malicious insiders or external attackers with database access can systematically extract personal information, potentially including employee details, customer data, or other sensitive identifiers. This exposure undermines the trust that organizations place in their monitoring infrastructure and could lead to cascading security issues if the compromised data is used for further attacks or identity theft. The risk is particularly elevated in environments where database administrators have broad access rights without proper data classification enforcement.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating to IBM Monitoring versions that address this vulnerability, implementing additional database access controls, and conducting comprehensive audits of database permissions and access logs. The recommended approach involves deploying proper data classification mechanisms, implementing role-based access controls with explicit data sensitivity levels, and establishing monitoring for unusual database query patterns. Security teams should also consider implementing database activity monitoring solutions that can detect and alert on unauthorized data access attempts. From an att&ck framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and credential access, specifically targeting the database layer where sensitive information is stored. Organizations should also review their incident response procedures to ensure proper handling of data exposure events and consider implementing data loss prevention controls to monitor for potential exfiltration attempts. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of maintaining proper security controls throughout the entire data lifecycle, from storage to access and eventual destruction.