CVE-2020-4189 in Security Guardium
Summary
by MITRE • 01/28/2021
IBM Security Guardium 11.2 discloses sensitive information in the response headers that could be used in further attacks against the system. IBM X-Force ID: 174850.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/20/2021
IBM Security Guardium version 11.2 contains a vulnerability that exposes sensitive information through response headers, creating potential attack vectors for malicious actors seeking to compromise the system. This issue falls under the category of information disclosure vulnerabilities where system metadata and internal configuration details are inadvertently exposed to unauthorized parties. The vulnerability specifically affects the web server components within the Guardium environment, where response headers contain identifying information about the underlying system architecture and software versions. Such exposure creates opportunities for attackers to gather intelligence about the target environment and plan more sophisticated attacks. The disclosure occurs during normal HTTP response processing when the system includes headers that reveal server type, version numbers, and potentially other internal system identifiers that should remain hidden from external clients.
The technical flaw stems from improper header configuration within the web server implementation of IBM Security Guardium 11.2. When the system processes HTTP requests and generates responses, it includes headers that contain detailed information about the server software, including version strings and potentially other metadata that could aid in targeting specific exploits. This behavior violates fundamental security principles of least privilege and defense in depth, as the system exposes more information than necessary for legitimate operational purposes. The vulnerability represents a classic case of insecure header configuration that aligns with CWE-200, which addresses information exposure through improper error handling and header management. Attackers can leverage this information to identify known vulnerabilities in specific software versions, potentially enabling exploitation through targeted attack vectors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with critical intelligence needed to launch more sophisticated attacks against the Guardium environment. Security professionals can use the disclosed information to identify potential weaknesses in the system's configuration and to develop targeted exploitation strategies. The exposure of system identifiers and version information creates opportunities for attackers to bypass security controls and exploit known vulnerabilities in the disclosed components. This vulnerability particularly affects the security monitoring capabilities of Guardium itself, as it undermines the system's ability to maintain operational security and protect sensitive data. The impact is compounded by the fact that Guardium is designed to monitor and protect database environments, making the exposure of its own internal information particularly concerning for organizations relying on it for security operations.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability by configuring the web server to remove or obfuscate sensitive information from response headers. The recommended approach involves modifying the server configuration to suppress or alter the headers that contain version information and system identifiers. Security teams should also implement monitoring solutions to detect unusual access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts based on the disclosed information. Network segmentation and access controls should be reinforced to limit exposure of the vulnerable components to unauthorized users. The mitigation strategy should align with the principle of least privilege and follow security best practices outlined in industry standards such as the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and ISO 27001. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to verify that the header configuration changes have effectively eliminated the information disclosure vulnerability. Additionally, organizations should establish processes for regular security updates and patch management to ensure that similar vulnerabilities are addressed in future releases of the Guardium platform.