CVE-2018-1475 in BigFix Platform
Summary
by MITRE
IBM BigFix Platform 9.2 and 9.5 uses an inadequate account lockout setting that could allow a remote attacker to brute force account credentials. IBM X-Force ID: 140756.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/08/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-1475 affects IBM BigFix Platform versions 9.2 and 9.5, representing a critical security flaw in the platform's authentication mechanisms. This issue stems from insufficient account lockout configurations that fail to adequately protect against brute force attacks, creating a significant risk for remote attackers seeking to compromise system credentials. The vulnerability specifically targets the authentication subsystem where user accounts can be systematically tested against multiple password combinations without effective protection measures.
The technical flaw manifests through inadequate account lockout policies that do not properly enforce restrictions on failed authentication attempts. When attackers repeatedly attempt to log in with various credential combinations, the system fails to implement timely account lockout mechanisms or sufficient delays between authentication attempts. This allows for automated brute force attacks to proceed unchecked, potentially leading to unauthorized access to administrative and user accounts within the BigFix environment. The vulnerability falls under the category of weak authentication controls and inadequate access control mechanisms as defined by CWE-305.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential compromise, as successful exploitation could lead to complete system infiltration and unauthorized administrative access. Attackers could leverage this weakness to gain persistent access to the BigFix platform, potentially affecting thousands of managed endpoints across enterprise networks. The implications are particularly severe given that BigFix platforms are commonly used for endpoint management and security monitoring, making successful exploitation a significant threat to overall enterprise security posture. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1110.003 for Brute Force and T1078.004 for Valid Accounts, demonstrating how inadequate account lockout policies enable credential-based attacks.
Organizations should immediately implement enhanced account lockout policies that enforce strict limits on failed authentication attempts, typically setting maximum retry limits between 3-5 attempts followed by mandatory account lockout periods of 15-30 minutes. Configuration changes should include implementing exponential backoff mechanisms that increase delays between authentication attempts, as well as monitoring and alerting for suspicious login patterns. Additional mitigations include deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for brute force attack patterns, implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts, and regularly reviewing and auditing authentication logs. The vulnerability also necessitates updating to patched versions of IBM BigFix Platform where available, as well as conducting comprehensive security assessments of all authentication mechanisms within the enterprise environment.