CVE-2018-1640 in Security Privileged Identity Manager Virtual Appliance
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Security Privileged Identity Manager Virtual Appliance 2.2.1 could allow a remote authenticated attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the system. By sending a specially-crafted request, an attacker could exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary commands on the system. IBM X-Force ID: 144580.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/21/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-1640 affects IBM Security Privileged Identity Manager Virtual Appliance version 2.2.1, representing a critical remote command execution flaw that compromises system integrity and confidentiality. This vulnerability resides within the appliance's web interface handling mechanisms, specifically targeting the authentication and request processing components that govern privileged access management operations. The flaw enables authenticated attackers to escalate their privileges and execute arbitrary code on the underlying system, potentially leading to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive privileged accounts and resources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and improper sanitization of user-supplied data within the appliance's API endpoints. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious HTTP requests that contain specially formatted payloads designed to bypass authentication checks and inject malicious commands into the system's execution pipeline. The vulnerability manifests when the appliance processes authenticated requests without adequate validation of input parameters, allowing attackers to manipulate the application's behavior and execute system commands with the privileges of the affected service account. This flaw aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-94 categories, which specifically address command injection vulnerabilities and improper input validation in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass comprehensive system compromise and potential data breaches within enterprise environments that rely on privileged identity management. Organizations using this appliance face significant risks including unauthorized access to critical systems, privilege abuse, and potential lateral movement within network infrastructures. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of privileged identity management by undermining the trust model that the system establishes for controlling access to sensitive resources. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to gain access to privileged accounts, modify system configurations, install malware, or exfiltrate sensitive data, making it particularly dangerous in environments where privileged access is tightly controlled and monitored. This weakness directly impacts the CIA triad by compromising confidentiality through unauthorized data access, integrity through potential system modification, and availability through potential service disruption.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-1640 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected IBM Security Privileged Identity Manager Virtual Appliance to the latest available security fixes. Organizations must implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of the appliance to untrusted networks while maintaining proper firewall rules to restrict access to only authorized administrative endpoints. The implementation of web application firewalls and input validation mechanisms can provide additional layers of protection against similar injection attacks. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual command execution patterns and unauthorized access attempts to privileged accounts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify potential exploitation vectors and ensure proper configuration of the appliance. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following security best practices such as principle of least privilege, regular security updates, and comprehensive monitoring of privileged access activities, aligning with ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and command execution. Organizations should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication and additional access controls to reduce the impact of potential exploitation attempts.