CVE-2018-1474 in BigFix Platform
Summary
by MITRE
IBM BigFix Platform 9.2.0 through 9.2.14 and 9.5 through 9.5.9 is vulnerable to HTTP response splitting attacks, caused by improper validation of user-supplied input. A remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability to inject arbitrary HTTP headers and cause the server to return a split response, once the URL is clicked. This would allow the attacker to perform further attacks, such as Web cache poisoning or cross-site scripting, and possibly obtain sensitive information. IBM X-force ID: 140692.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/18/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-1474 affects IBM BigFix Platform versions 9.2.0 through 9.2.14 and 9.5 through 9.5.9, representing a critical security flaw in the platform's handling of HTTP responses. This vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of user-supplied input within the platform's web interface, creating an avenue for malicious actors to manipulate HTTP headers through carefully crafted requests. The flaw specifically enables HTTP response splitting attacks, where an attacker can inject malicious HTTP headers into the server's response, causing the server to generate a split response that can be exploited for various malicious purposes.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when user input containing carriage return and line feed characters is not properly sanitized before being processed by the web server. This allows an attacker to inject additional HTTP headers into the response, effectively splitting the original response into multiple responses that can be manipulated to serve malicious content. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered simply by clicking on a malicious URL, making it an attractive vector for phishing attacks and other web-based exploits. The affected platform's web server components fail to properly validate and sanitize input parameters, creating a pathway for attackers to inject malicious headers that can alter the server's response behavior.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple header injection, as it provides attackers with a foundation for more sophisticated attacks including web cache poisoning and cross-site scripting exploitation. When an attacker successfully splits an HTTP response, they can manipulate cached content, potentially serving malicious payloads to multiple users who access cached versions of the affected pages. This vulnerability also enables session hijacking and other attacks that can result in unauthorized access to sensitive information within the BigFix platform. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that the vulnerability affects multiple versions of the platform, suggesting it was likely present for an extended period and potentially exploited by threat actors before detection.
Organizations using affected IBM BigFix Platform versions should immediately implement mitigations including input validation controls, HTTP header sanitization, and web application firewall rules to prevent carriage return and line feed characters from being processed in user-supplied input. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-113, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of CRLF characters in HTTP headers, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for web shell execution through HTTP response manipulation. IBM has released patches and fixes for this vulnerability, and organizations should prioritize upgrading to patched versions of the platform. Additionally, implementing network monitoring and intrusion detection systems can help identify potential exploitation attempts, while regular security assessments should verify that input validation mechanisms are properly implemented throughout the platform's web interfaces to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in the future.