CVE-2018-1859 in API Connect
Summary
by MITRE
IBM API Connect 5.0.0.0 through 5.0.8.4 could allow a user authenticated as an administrator with limited rights to escalate their privileges. IBM X-Force ID: 151258.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/23/2023
This vulnerability resides within IBM API Connect version 5.0.0.0 through 5.0.8.4, representing a privilege escalation flaw that enables authenticated administrative users with limited rights to elevate their access privileges. The issue stems from insufficient authorization controls that fail to properly validate user permissions during critical operations. According to CWE-284, this represents an improper access control vulnerability where the system does not adequately enforce authorization boundaries between different user roles. The vulnerability allows an attacker with minimal administrative privileges to gain elevated permissions, potentially compromising the entire API management infrastructure. This weakness directly impacts the principle of least privilege and could enable unauthorized access to sensitive API configurations, user data, and system resources.
The technical implementation of this privilege escalation flaw occurs when administrative users attempt to perform operations that should require higher-level authorization. The system fails to properly validate whether the authenticated user possesses sufficient privileges for specific administrative actions, creating a gap in the access control mechanism. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation through legitimate administrative access. The flaw likely manifests in the API Connect management console or administrative APIs where role-based access controls are inadequately enforced. Attackers can exploit this by attempting administrative functions that require elevated permissions, potentially gaining access to system configuration settings, user management capabilities, and sensitive API deployment information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it can lead to complete system compromise when combined with other attack vectors. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could access all managed APIs, modify system configurations, view sensitive user data, and potentially disrupt service availability. The affected environment includes organizations using IBM API Connect for API management and integration, where the administrative interface serves as a critical control point. This vulnerability particularly affects enterprises that rely on centralized API management systems, as it undermines the security model that protects against unauthorized administrative access. Organizations with multiple administrators and complex permission structures face heightened risk, as the flaw could be exploited to bypass security controls that separate different administrative roles.
Organizations should immediately apply the vendor-provided security patches and updates to address this privilege escalation vulnerability. System administrators should conduct comprehensive access control reviews to identify and remediate any existing unauthorized elevated privileges that might have been gained through this vulnerability. The implementation of principle of least privilege should be enforced rigorously, ensuring that administrative users only possess the minimum permissions required for their specific roles. Network segmentation and monitoring of administrative access activities should be enhanced to detect potential exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments of API management systems should include evaluation of access control mechanisms and privilege validation processes. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts and automated monitoring for suspicious administrative activities. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper authorization validation in enterprise security systems and highlights the need for regular security assessments of administrative interfaces and access control implementations.