CVE-2018-1747 in Security Key Lifecycle Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Security Key Lifecycle Manager 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, and 3.0 is vulnerable to a XML External Entity Injection (XXE) attack when processing XML data. A remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability to expose sensitive information or consume memory resources. IBM X-Force ID: 148428.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/25/2023
IBM Security Key Lifecycle Manager versions 2.5 through 3.0 contain a critical XML External Entity Injection vulnerability that represents a significant security weakness in the system's XML processing capabilities. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-611, which specifically addresses improper restriction of XML external entity references. The flaw exists in how the application handles XML data processing, where external entities are not properly sanitized or restricted during parsing operations. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious XML payloads that reference external resources, potentially leading to information disclosure or denial of service conditions.
The technical implementation of this XXE vulnerability allows remote attackers to manipulate the XML parser within the key lifecycle management system. When the application processes XML data containing external entity references, it fails to properly validate or restrict these references, enabling attackers to access internal system resources. This weakness specifically affects the XML processing components that handle key management operations, potentially exposing sensitive cryptographic materials, system configurations, or user data stored within the application's environment. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be exploited without authentication, making it accessible to any remote attacker who can send XML data to the affected system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can also lead to resource exhaustion through malicious XML entities that consume excessive memory or processing power. Attackers may leverage this weakness to perform denial of service attacks against the key management system, potentially disrupting critical security operations. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of IBM Security Key Lifecycle Manager, indicating a widespread issue that requires immediate attention across affected deployments. Organizations relying on this system for cryptographic key management face significant risk of compromise, as the attack could potentially expose encryption keys or other sensitive security artifacts that would undermine the entire security infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper XML parser configurations that disable external entity resolution and parameter entity expansion. Organizations should ensure that all XML processing components are configured to reject external entity references and validate all incoming XML data against strict schemas. The recommended approach includes updating to patched versions of IBM Security Key Lifecycle Manager, implementing network segmentation to limit access to affected systems, and deploying XML validation rules that prevent malicious entities from being processed. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing monitoring and detection capabilities to identify potential XXE attack attempts, as this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213.002 for credential access through external entities. Security teams should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify other potential XXE vulnerabilities in related systems and ensure that all XML processing components are hardened against similar threats.