CVE-2019-4546 in Maximo Health- Safety
Summary
by MITRE
After installing the IBM Maximo Health- Safety and Environment Manager 7.6.1, a user is granted additional privileges that they are not normally allowed to access. IBM X-Force ID: 165948.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/29/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-4546 represents a critical privilege escalation issue within IBM Maximo Health-Safety and Environment Manager version 7.6.1. This flaw allows authenticated users to gain unauthorized access to additional system privileges that should normally be restricted to authorized personnel only. The vulnerability specifically manifests during the installation process of the security manager component, where improper privilege handling creates an opportunity for malicious actors to exploit the system's access controls. Such a weakness fundamentally undermines the principle of least privilege that is essential for maintaining secure enterprise environments, particularly in industrial management systems where sensitive operational data and safety protocols are handled.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate access control mechanisms within the Maximo platform's security framework. When the Health-Safety and Environment Manager component is installed, the system fails to properly validate user permissions and roles, resulting in elevated privileges being granted to users who should not possess such access levels. This privilege escalation occurs at the application level rather than through network-based attacks, making it particularly concerning as it can be exploited by users who already have legitimate access to the system. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which addresses improper privilege management, and represents a clear violation of access control principles that should be enforced by robust authentication and authorization mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it creates potential pathways for data manipulation, unauthorized system modifications, and compromise of safety-critical environments. In industrial settings where Maximo systems manage health, safety, and environmental protocols, unauthorized access to privileged functions could lead to serious consequences including falsification of safety reports, manipulation of environmental monitoring data, or disruption of critical operational procedures. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on Maximo for compliance monitoring and safety management, potentially exposing them to regulatory violations and operational risks. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques under the T1068 category, where adversaries leverage application flaws to gain elevated system access.
Organizations affected by CVE-2019-4546 should immediately implement comprehensive mitigation strategies that include validating user permissions, monitoring for unauthorized privilege changes, and ensuring proper access control enforcement. The recommended approach involves applying the vendor-provided security patches, conducting thorough privilege audits, and implementing additional monitoring controls to detect suspicious access patterns. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation to limit access to critical Maximo components and establish more rigorous access control policies. Regular security assessments of the Maximo environment should be conducted to identify similar privilege-related vulnerabilities, as this issue highlights the importance of maintaining strict access control boundaries in enterprise management systems. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical need for proper privilege management in complex enterprise applications where multiple security domains intersect.