CVE-2018-1813 in Security Access Manager Appliance
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Security Access Manager Appliance 9.0.1.0, 9.0.2.0, 9.0.3.0, 9.0.4.0, and 9.0.5.0 uses incomplete blacklisting for input validation which allows attackers to bypass application controls resulting in direct impact to the system and data integrity. IBM X-Force ID: 150017.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/19/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-1813 affects IBM Security Access Manager Appliance versions 9.0.1.0 through 9.0.5.0, representing a critical weakness in the appliance's input validation mechanisms. This issue stems from an incomplete blacklisting approach that fails to adequately filter malicious inputs, creating a pathway for attackers to circumvent security controls designed to protect the system. The vulnerability operates at the application layer where user inputs are processed, making it particularly dangerous as it directly impacts the integrity and security posture of the protected environment.
The technical flaw manifests through the appliance's reliance on incomplete blacklisting rather than comprehensive input validation techniques. This approach creates a false sense of security by only blocking known malicious patterns while failing to account for encoded or obfuscated inputs that can bypass the filters. The incomplete nature of the blacklisting allows attackers to craft inputs that contain malicious content but do not match the predefined blacklisted patterns, thereby enabling successful exploitation. This vulnerability directly relates to CWE-184 which describes incomplete blacklists and the absence of proper input sanitization mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple bypass of access controls, potentially leading to severe consequences including unauthorized data access, system compromise, and data integrity violations. Attackers can leverage this weakness to inject malicious payloads that may result in privilege escalation, data exfiltration, or disruption of services. The vulnerability affects the core security functions of the appliance, which is designed to protect enterprise networks and applications, making any successful exploitation potentially catastrophic for organizations relying on this security infrastructure.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of the IBM Security Access Manager Appliance, implementing additional input validation layers, and conducting comprehensive security assessments of their access control mechanisms. The remediation process should involve thorough testing to ensure that the updated configurations do not disrupt legitimate business operations while providing adequate protection against the identified vulnerability. Security teams should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts and establish incident response procedures specifically addressing this type of input validation bypass vulnerability. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 which describes the use of command and script interpreters to execute malicious code, as attackers may exploit the input validation weakness to inject and execute unauthorized commands within the compromised system.