CVE-2019-4398 in Cloud Orchestrator
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Cloud Orchestrator and IBM Cloud Orchestrator Enterprise 2.5 through 2.5.0.9 and 2.4 through 2.4.0.5 could allow a local user to obtain sensitive information from SessionManagement cookies. IBM X-Force ID: 162259.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/27/2024
IBM Cloud Orchestrator and IBM Cloud Orchestrator Enterprise versions 2.5 through 2.5.0.9 and 2.4 through 2.4.0.5 contain a vulnerability that allows local users to extract sensitive session management cookies. This flaw resides in the session handling mechanisms of the cloud orchestration platform, where session cookies containing authentication tokens and session identifiers are improperly protected. The vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls and inadequate cookie security measures that permit unauthorized local access to session data. Attackers with local system access can leverage this weakness to extract session management cookies that contain sensitive authentication information. This represents a critical security gap in the platform's session management architecture, as it violates fundamental security principles of least privilege and proper credential handling. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues, and specifically relates to CWE-312 which covers exposure of sensitive information through cleartext storage of session tokens. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability significantly increases the attack surface for local adversaries who can potentially escalate privileges or impersonate legitimate users within the cloud orchestration environment. The extracted session cookies could enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to cloud resources, manipulate orchestration workflows, and potentially compromise the entire cloud infrastructure. This weakness particularly impacts organizations relying on IBM Cloud Orchestrator for mission-critical cloud operations where session hijacking could lead to complete system compromise. The vulnerability demonstrates a failure in implementing proper session management security controls as recommended by NIST SP 800-63B and OWASP Top Ten security standards. The IBM X-Force ID 162259 further validates the severity of this issue within the security community. Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including proper cookie security headers, secure session management protocols, and enhanced local access controls. The remediation process should involve updating to patched versions of the software, implementing proper session token encryption, and conducting thorough security assessments of session handling mechanisms. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network segmentation to limit local access privileges and establish monitoring controls to detect unauthorized access attempts to session data. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper session management in cloud environments and the potential consequences of inadequate security controls in enterprise cloud orchestration platforms.