CVE-2019-4654 in QRadar
Summary
by MITRE
IBM QRadar 7.3.0 to 7.3.3 Patch 2 does not validate, or incorrectly validates, a certificate which could allow an attacker to spoof a trusted entity by using a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack. IBM X-ForceID: 170965.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2024
IBM QRadar versions 7.3.0 through 7.3.3 Patch 2 contain a critical certificate validation vulnerability that undermines the security of the platform's trust mechanisms. This flaw resides in the certificate validation process where the system either fails to properly validate certificates or implements incorrect validation logic. The vulnerability enables attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting forged certificates that appear legitimate to the QRadar system. The issue stems from inadequate certificate chain validation and trust verification procedures that should normally ensure only certificates from trusted Certificate Authorities are accepted. According to CWE-295, this represents a weakness in certificate validation where the system fails to properly validate the authenticity of certificates, making it susceptible to certificate spoofing attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows attackers to establish unauthorized communication channels with QRadar systems. An attacker positioned in a man-in-the-middle position can intercept, modify, or redirect traffic between QRadar components and external systems. This compromises the integrity of security monitoring data and potentially allows attackers to manipulate log data, disable security alerts, or gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. The vulnerability affects the fundamental trust model of QRadar's security infrastructure, undermining the system's ability to distinguish between legitimate and malicious communications. Organizations relying on QRadar for security event monitoring and incident response may experience false negatives where malicious activities go undetected due to the compromised trust validation.
From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques such as T1046 Network Service Scanning and T1566 Phishing, as attackers can exploit the MITM capability to establish persistent access points. The vulnerability also relates to T1557 Adversary-in-the-Middle, where the attacker can intercept and manipulate network traffic. IBM's X-ForceID 170965 classification indicates the severity of this issue, as it directly impacts the platform's ability to maintain secure communications. The vulnerability affects the system's cryptographic security controls and undermines the security of all components that rely on certificate-based authentication. Organizations should immediately apply the relevant security patches to address this certificate validation flaw and prevent potential exploitation by threat actors.
Mitigation strategies include implementing immediate patch management procedures to upgrade to QRadar versions that properly validate certificates. Network segmentation and monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual certificate behavior or unauthorized certificate installations. Security teams should also implement certificate monitoring solutions that can detect when unauthorized certificates are presented to the system. Additional defensive measures include configuring strict certificate validation policies, implementing certificate pinning where appropriate, and conducting regular security assessments of the platform's trust mechanisms. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining robust certificate management practices and the critical need for proper validation of all cryptographic certificates within security infrastructure.