CVE-2018-1887 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 contains hard-coded credentials, such as a password or cryptographic key, which it uses for its own inbound authentication, outbound communication to external components, or encryption of internal data. IBM X-Force ID: 152078.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/19/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-1887 represents a critical security flaw in IBM Security Access Manager Appliance versions 9.0.1.0 through 9.0.5.0 that stems from the inclusion of hard-coded credentials within the software implementation. This weakness directly violates fundamental security principles and creates a significant attack surface that adversaries can exploit to gain unauthorized access to the system. The presence of hard-coded authentication credentials within the appliance configuration presents a persistent risk that remains active throughout the system's operational lifecycle, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise security infrastructure.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involves the embedding of specific passwords or cryptographic keys directly into the appliance software code or configuration files rather than dynamically generating or securely storing these credentials. This hard-coding approach means that the authentication mechanisms used by the appliance for inbound authentication processes, outbound communications with external security components, or internal data encryption all rely on credentials that are potentially known to attackers who can analyze the software binaries or configuration files. The vulnerability specifically impacts the appliance's ability to maintain secure communication channels and protect sensitive data through encryption, as these critical security functions depend on credentials that are not properly secured or rotated.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for organizations relying on IBM Security Access Manager Appliance for their identity and access management needs. Attackers who discover these hard-coded credentials can potentially bypass authentication mechanisms, gain administrative access to the appliance, and subsequently compromise the entire security infrastructure that the appliance protects. The vulnerability affects not only the appliance's own security posture but also extends to the broader network environment through the appliance's communication with external security components and its role in protecting internal data through encryption. This creates a cascading security risk where a single compromised credential can lead to widespread system compromise.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including the identification and replacement of all hard-coded credentials with dynamically generated or properly managed authentication mechanisms. The remediation process must involve thorough scanning of appliance configurations and software binaries to locate any remaining hard-coded credentials and replacing them with secure alternatives that follow established security frameworks such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten. Additionally, implementing proper credential management practices including regular credential rotation, secure storage mechanisms, and monitoring for unauthorized access attempts should be enforced. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-798, which specifically addresses the use of hard-coded credentials, and represents a clear violation of security best practices that would be flagged by security frameworks such as MITRE ATT&CK's credential access tactics. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and additional monitoring controls to detect potential exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability.