CVE-2019-4286 in Maximo Anywhere
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Maximo Anywhere 7.6.2.0, 7.6.2.1, 7.6.3.0, and 7.6.3.1 could disclose highly senstiive user information to an authenticated user with physical access to the device. IBM X-Force ID: 160514.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2024
IBM Maximo Anywhere versions 7.6.2.0 through 7.6.3.1 contain a security vulnerability that allows authenticated users with physical access to devices to obtain highly sensitive user information. This flaw represents a critical data exposure issue that undermines the confidentiality of user data stored on mobile devices. The vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls and data protection mechanisms within the application's mobile framework, which fails to properly restrict information disclosure to users who have already authenticated to the system. The flaw specifically affects the application's handling of sensitive user data when physical access is granted, enabling unauthorized information retrieval that should remain protected.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application's failure to enforce proper data isolation between authenticated sessions and physical device access. When a user authenticates to the Maximo Anywhere application, the system should maintain strict boundaries around what information can be accessed by that authenticated user versus what remains protected. However, the vulnerability allows for information leakage that occurs during the application's interaction with device resources, particularly when physical access is present. This represents a failure in the application's privilege escalation protection mechanisms and demonstrates inadequate consideration of the threat model for mobile applications that may be physically compromised.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations using IBM Maximo Anywhere for enterprise asset management. The disclosure of sensitive user information could include personal identification details, authentication credentials, access permissions, and potentially business-critical data about assets and operations. Organizations relying on this platform for managing critical infrastructure and maintenance operations face potential regulatory compliance violations, reputational damage, and operational disruption if this vulnerability is exploited. The risk is particularly elevated in environments where mobile devices may be lost, stolen, or accessed by unauthorized individuals with physical possession of the device.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses "Information Exposure," and represents a failure in proper access control implementation according to CWE-285. This weakness is also categorized under ATT&CK technique T1074 which covers data staging, as the vulnerability enables unauthorized data access that could be used for further exploitation. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches, implementing additional device-level security controls such as encryption and screen lock requirements, and conducting comprehensive security assessments of their mobile device management policies. The remediation approach should also include enhanced monitoring for unauthorized access patterns and implementation of device integrity checks to detect potential exploitation attempts.