CVE-2018-1453 in Security Identity Manager Virtual Appliance
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Security Identity Manager Virtual Appliance 7.0 allows an authenticated attacker to upload or transfer files of dangerous types that can be automatically processed within the environment. IBM X-Force ID: 140055.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/22/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-1453 affects IBM Security Identity Manager Virtual Appliance version 7.0, representing a critical file upload flaw that enables authenticated attackers to bypass security controls and execute malicious code within the targeted environment. This vulnerability resides in the appliance's file handling mechanisms, where the system fails to properly validate file types during upload operations, creating an avenue for attackers to introduce potentially harmful content that can be automatically processed by the system. The flaw specifically manifests when the appliance accepts file transfers without adequate sanitization or type checking, allowing dangerous file formats to be stored and subsequently executed or interpreted by the underlying system components.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and inadequate file type restrictions within the appliance's upload functionality. An authenticated attacker with legitimate credentials can exploit this weakness to upload malicious files such as scripts, executables, or other dangerous content that the system processes automatically. This automated processing capability transforms what might initially appear as a simple file upload vulnerability into a more severe threat vector, as the system's inherent trust in uploaded content enables attackers to escalate privileges or execute arbitrary code. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-434, which describes the weakness of allowing untrusted data to be uploaded to a web application and then processed without proper validation, and it demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-22, representing improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, potentially enabling attackers to compromise the entire appliance environment and access sensitive identity management data. Since IBM Security Identity Manager Virtual Appliance serves as a critical component in identity and access management systems, successful exploitation could result in unauthorized access to user credentials, privileged account compromise, and potential lateral movement within the enterprise network. The automatic processing of uploaded files means that attackers can achieve persistence without requiring additional exploitation steps, as the system will execute or interpret the malicious content according to its normal processing workflows. This vulnerability directly impacts the principle of least privilege and could undermine the security posture of organizations relying on the appliance for critical identity management functions.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including strengthening authentication controls, implementing comprehensive file type validation, and restricting upload capabilities to only trusted file formats. The appliance should be configured to reject potentially dangerous file extensions and implement strict content validation mechanisms that verify file integrity and type before processing. Network segmentation and monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual upload activities or unauthorized file transfers. Regular security updates and patches should be applied immediately upon availability from IBM, as this vulnerability represents a significant risk to identity management systems. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their identity infrastructure to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components and establish robust incident response procedures to address potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining proper security boundaries and implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect critical infrastructure components that handle sensitive identity data.