CVE-2020-4190 in Security Guardium
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Security Guardium 10.6, 11.0, and 11.1 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: 174851.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/21/2020
IBM Security Guardium versions 10.6, 11.0, and 11.1 contain a critical security flaw involving hard-coded credentials that represents a significant vulnerability in the application's authentication and encryption mechanisms. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-798 weakness category, which specifically addresses the use of hard-coded credentials in software applications. The flaw manifests as embedded passwords or cryptographic keys that are permanently coded into the application's source files or configuration components, creating a persistent security risk that persists across system updates and deployments.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows attackers to gain unauthorized access to Guardium's internal systems and data encryption mechanisms. When credentials are hard-coded within the application, they become accessible to anyone with access to the application's code or configuration files, effectively removing the security layer that should protect sensitive data. This weakness enables potential attackers to authenticate to Guardium's own systems without proper authorization, undermining the fundamental security architecture that the application is designed to provide. The vulnerability specifically affects inbound authentication processes, outbound communication with external components, and internal data encryption functions, creating multiple attack vectors for malicious actors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it compromises the integrity and confidentiality of data protected by Guardium's security mechanisms. Attackers exploiting this flaw can potentially decrypt sensitive information, manipulate internal communications, or gain persistent access to the security monitoring infrastructure. This represents a severe threat to enterprise security postures, particularly in environments where Guardium is used for database activity monitoring and data protection. The vulnerability's presence in multiple versions indicates a systemic issue within the application's development lifecycle, suggesting that proper security code reviews and credential management practices were not consistently implemented across the product line.
Organizations utilizing affected Guardium versions should immediately implement mitigation strategies including credential rotation, application code review, and deployment of vendor-provided patches. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1552.001 which covers "Credentials In Files" and represents a clear path for attackers to establish persistent access. Security teams should conduct comprehensive audits of all embedded credentials within their Guardium deployments and implement proper credential management practices to prevent similar issues in future deployments. The remediation process requires careful coordination between security teams and application administrators to ensure that the hard-coded credentials are properly replaced with dynamically managed authentication mechanisms while maintaining system functionality and security posture.