CVE-2020-4567 in Tivoli Key Lifecycle Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Tivoli Key Lifecycle Manager 3.0.1 and 4.0 uses an inadequate account lockout setting that could allow a remote attacker to brute force account credentials. IBM X-Force ID: 184156.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/06/2020
IBM Tivoli Key Lifecycle Manager version 3.0.1 and 4.0 contains a critical security flaw in its account lockout mechanism that creates significant vulnerability to remote brute force attacks. This weakness stems from insufficient configuration of account lockout policies, allowing malicious actors to repeatedly attempt credential guesses without triggering protective measures. The vulnerability exposes the system to automated attack vectors where attackers can systematically test numerous username and password combinations until successful access is achieved.
The technical implementation of this flaw resides in the authentication subsystem's inadequate account lockout threshold settings. When authentication attempts exceed normal operational parameters, the system fails to properly enforce account lockout procedures that would typically prevent repeated login attempts from the same source. This misconfiguration creates a window of opportunity for attackers to conduct credential stuffing and brute force operations without encountering the expected security barriers. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-307 - Improper Restriction of Excessive Authentication Attempts, which specifically addresses weak account lockout mechanisms that fail to properly mitigate brute force attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables attackers to potentially compromise the entire key management infrastructure. Given that Tivoli Key Lifecycle Manager handles sensitive cryptographic key operations and certificate management, successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to protected cryptographic assets. Attackers could leverage this weakness to gain administrative privileges and manipulate the key lifecycle processes that govern encryption keys and digital certificates across the enterprise environment.
Organizations utilizing affected versions of IBM Tivoli Key Lifecycle Manager face substantial risk exposure from this vulnerability, particularly in environments where network accessibility is not properly restricted. The remote nature of this attack vector means that adversaries can exploit the weakness from any network location without requiring physical access or elevated privileges. This characteristic significantly increases the attack surface and makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in multi-tenant or publicly accessible environments where proper network segmentation is not implemented.
Recommended mitigations for this vulnerability include immediate implementation of proper account lockout policies with appropriate thresholds and lockout durations that prevent automated brute force attacks. Organizations should configure the system to enforce strict authentication attempt limits and implement account lockout procedures that automatically disable accounts after a specified number of failed attempts. Additionally, network-level controls such as firewall rules and intrusion detection systems should be deployed to monitor and restrict access to authentication endpoints. The implementation of multi-factor authentication and enhanced monitoring capabilities further reduces the risk of successful exploitation. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1110 - Brute Force, which specifically addresses credential guessing and brute force attacks against authentication systems.