CVE-2018-1675 in Tivoli Application Dependency Discovery Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Tivoli Application Dependency Discovery Manager 7.2.2 and 7.3 could expose password hashes in stored in system memory on target systems that are configured to use TADDM. IBM X-Force ID: 145110.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/04/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-1675 affects IBM Tivoli Application Dependency Discovery Manager versions 7.2.2 and 7.3, representing a critical information disclosure flaw that compromises system security through improper handling of authentication credentials. This vulnerability specifically targets systems configured to use TADDM's discovery capabilities, where password hashes are stored in system memory during the discovery process. The flaw stems from insufficient memory sanitization practices that fail to properly clear sensitive authentication data from memory after use, creating persistent exposure windows for credential theft.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the insecure storage of password hashes within system memory during network discovery operations. When TADDM performs application dependency discovery on target systems, it must authenticate using valid credentials to access system information. These authentication credentials, including password hashes, are temporarily stored in memory locations that are not adequately sanitized after the discovery process completes. This creates a persistent memory footprint that can be accessed by malicious actors with appropriate privileges or through exploitation of other vulnerabilities that allow memory dumping techniques.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to enterprise environments relying on TADDM for application dependency mapping and discovery operations. Attackers who gain access to systems running affected TADDM versions can potentially extract password hashes from memory, enabling them to perform offline password cracking attacks or use these credentials for lateral movement within the network. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the system level during legitimate discovery processes, making it difficult to detect through normal security monitoring. This aligns with CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and represents a classic case of sensitive data exposure through improper memory management practices.
The attack surface for this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft to include broader network compromise scenarios. Once attackers obtain password hashes through memory extraction, they can leverage these credentials to access additional systems within the enterprise network, potentially escalating privileges and moving laterally through the infrastructure. This vulnerability intersects with multiple ATT&CK techniques including credential access through memory scraping and privilege escalation via stolen credentials, making it particularly dangerous in environments where TADDM is used for comprehensive network discovery across multiple domains and systems.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to patched versions of IBM Tivoli Application Dependency Discovery Manager, implementing memory protection mechanisms, and establishing monitoring for suspicious memory access patterns. Additional defensive measures include restricting network access to TADDM systems, implementing strict access controls for discovery operations, and conducting regular security assessments to identify systems running vulnerable versions. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper memory sanitization in security-critical applications and highlights the need for comprehensive credential handling practices that align with industry standards for secure software development and system administration.