CVE-2019-4675 in Security Identity Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Security Identity Manager 7.0.1 contains hard-coded credentials, such as a password or cryptographic key, which it uses for its own inbound authentication, outbound communication to external components, or encryption of internal data. IBM X-Force ID: 171511.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/28/2024
IBM Security Identity Manager version 7.0.1 incorporates hard-coded credentials that pose significant security risks to organizations relying on this identity management solution. This vulnerability represents a critical flaw in the software's security architecture where sensitive authentication materials are embedded directly within the application code rather than being dynamically generated or securely stored. The presence of such hard-coded credentials violates fundamental security principles and creates persistent attack vectors that remain active throughout the system's operational lifecycle.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the inclusion of specific passwords or cryptographic keys within the application's source code or configuration files, making them accessible to anyone with access to the software components. These hard-coded credentials serve multiple purposes within the system including inbound authentication mechanisms, outbound communication protocols with external components, and encryption of internal data repositories. The flaw essentially creates a backdoor that remains constant regardless of system updates or security policy changes, as these credentials cannot be rotated or modified without modifying the actual application code itself.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables attackers who gain access to the system to potentially exploit these hard-coded credentials for unauthorized access to the identity management platform and its associated resources. The attack surface expands significantly as these credentials can be leveraged to authenticate to external systems, establish communication channels, or decrypt sensitive data stored within the platform. This vulnerability directly relates to CWE-798, which specifically addresses the use of hard-coded credentials in software implementations, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1552.001 for "Unsecured Credentials" in the credential access category. Organizations using this vulnerable version face substantial risk of privilege escalation, data breaches, and potential lateral movement within their network infrastructure.
The remediation strategy for this vulnerability requires immediate implementation of a comprehensive security patch provided by IBM to address the hard-coded credential issue. Organizations should conduct thorough inventory assessments to identify all instances of the vulnerable software and ensure proper patch management procedures are followed. Additional mitigations include implementing network segmentation to limit access to the identity management system, conducting regular security audits to detect unauthorized access attempts, and establishing strict access controls for system administrators. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure coding practices and proper credential management within enterprise security solutions, as highlighted by industry standards such as NIST SP 800-53 and ISO/IEC 27001 security controls.