CVE-2019-4054 in QRadar SIEM
Summary
by MITRE
IBM QRadar SIEM 7.2 and 7.3 could allow a local user to obtain sensitive information when exporting content that could aid an attacker in further attacks against the system. IBM X-Force ID: 156563.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/01/2023
IBM QRadar SIEM version 7.2 and 7.3 contain a local information disclosure vulnerability that affects the content export functionality. This flaw allows a local attacker with access to the system to extract sensitive information during the content export process that could be leveraged to conduct further attacks against the affected system. The vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls and improper handling of sensitive data within the export mechanism, potentially exposing configuration details, user credentials, or other confidential information that should remain restricted to authorized personnel only.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the content export feature failing to properly sanitize or restrict access to sensitive data elements during the export operation. When users attempt to export content from the QRadar system, the application does not adequately validate or filter the data being exported, allowing for the inclusion of confidential information that should be protected. This represents a failure in the principle of least privilege and data classification controls that are fundamental to secure system design. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which describes improper exposure of sensitive information, and demonstrates poor input validation and output sanitization practices within the application's data handling processes.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the exported data could provide attackers with valuable intelligence for subsequent exploitation attempts. An attacker who gains local access to the system could potentially use the exported information to map system configurations, identify user accounts, or discover system vulnerabilities that would otherwise remain hidden. This intelligence gathering capability significantly increases the attack surface and provides adversaries with the information needed to plan more sophisticated attacks, including privilege escalation attempts or targeted exploitation of other system components. The vulnerability also violates security best practices outlined in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1005, which covers data from local system repositories.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including restricting local system access to only authorized personnel, implementing proper access controls around the export functionality, and conducting regular security audits of system configurations. The recommended remediation involves applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates, while also implementing additional monitoring controls to detect unauthorized export activities. System administrators should review and tighten access controls for the QRadar environment, ensuring that only legitimate administrative users can perform content export operations. Regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other system components, and organizations should establish incident response procedures for detecting and responding to unauthorized information disclosure events. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of proper data classification and handling procedures, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security awareness training for system administrators and security personnel.