CVE-2018-1757 in Security Identity Governance
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Security Identity Governance and Intelligence 5.2.3.2 and 5.2.4 could allow an attacker to obtain sensitive information due to missing authentication in IGI for the survey application. IBM X-Force ID: 148601.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/07/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-1757 affects IBM Security Identity Governance and Intelligence versions 5.2.3.2 and 5.2.4, representing a critical security flaw that exposes sensitive data through inadequate authentication mechanisms. This issue specifically targets the survey application component within the IBM Security Identity Governance and Intelligence platform, which is designed to manage identity governance processes and intelligence gathering capabilities. The vulnerability stems from a missing authentication requirement that allows unauthorized access to potentially sensitive information through the survey application interface.
The technical flaw manifests as a lack of proper authentication controls within the survey application module, creating an attack vector where malicious actors can access data without proper authorization. This weakness directly violates fundamental security principles and represents a failure in the principle of least privilege, where access should be strictly controlled based on user credentials and permissions. The vulnerability falls under CWE-284, which categorizes improper access control issues, and specifically relates to insufficient authentication mechanisms that allow unauthorized users to access protected resources. The survey application in question likely handles sensitive identity data, governance information, and intelligence metrics that could be exploited for further attacks or data exfiltration.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates a persistent security risk that could enable attackers to gain insights into identity governance processes, user access patterns, and potentially sensitive organizational data. Attackers could exploit this weakness to gather intelligence about the organization's identity management practices, access restricted survey data, and potentially use the acquired information to launch more sophisticated attacks against the broader security infrastructure. The exposure of survey application data could also compromise the integrity of identity governance processes, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate access controls or create false identities within the system. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely heavily on identity governance for compliance and security operations, as it undermines the trustworthiness of the survey data and governance mechanisms.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches, enforcing proper authentication controls on the survey application, and conducting thorough access reviews to ensure that only authorized personnel can access sensitive data. Network segmentation and monitoring should be enhanced to detect unauthorized access attempts, while security teams should review their identity governance policies to address potential exploitation vectors. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of comprehensive security testing throughout the software development lifecycle, particularly for applications handling sensitive identity data. Organizations should also consider implementing additional layers of security such as multi-factor authentication for critical applications and regular security assessments to identify similar authentication gaps in other components of their identity governance infrastructure. The incident highlights the need for adherence to security standards including those defined in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and ISO/IEC 27001, which emphasize the importance of proper access control and authentication mechanisms in protecting sensitive information assets.