CVE-2020-4609 in Security Verify Privilege Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 06/26/2021
IBM Security Sevret Server (IBM Security Verify Privilege Manager 10.8.2) is vulnerable to a buffer overflow, caused by improper bounds checking. A local attacker could overflow a buffer and execute arbitrary code on the system or cause the system to crash. IBM X-Force ID: 184917.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/02/2021
IBM Security Verify Privilege Manager version 10.8.2 contains a critical buffer overflow vulnerability that stems from inadequate bounds checking mechanisms within the application's memory management processes. This vulnerability resides in the software's handling of user-supplied input data, where the system fails to properly validate the size of incoming buffers before copying data into fixed-length memory structures. The flaw represents a classic implementation error that allows malicious actors to manipulate memory layout and potentially overwrite critical system components. The vulnerability is classified as a local privilege escalation issue, meaning that an attacker must already have legitimate access to the system to exploit this weakness, though the consequences remain severe regardless of the initial access level.
The technical exploitation of this buffer overflow presents significant operational risks to organizations relying on IBM Security Verify Privilege Manager for privileged access management. When an authenticated user submits maliciously crafted input to the vulnerable application, the improper bounds checking allows the attacker to overwrite adjacent memory locations including return addresses, function pointers, or other critical control data structures. This memory corruption can result in arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the affected process, potentially enabling full system compromise. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple code execution as it can also cause application crashes or system instability, leading to denial of service conditions that disrupt legitimate business operations. According to industry standards, this vulnerability maps directly to CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter execution.
Organizations utilizing IBM Security Verify Privilege Manager 10.8.2 must implement immediate mitigation strategies to protect their environments from exploitation attempts. The primary recommended approach involves applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates that address the specific bounds checking deficiencies in the affected software components. System administrators should also consider implementing additional access controls and monitoring mechanisms to detect anomalous behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and privilege separation practices can help limit the potential impact if an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to verify that the implemented mitigations effectively address the vulnerability. The IBM X-Force ID 184917 associated with this vulnerability indicates that security researchers have already identified and documented the specific attack vectors and exploitation techniques, making proactive remediation essential for maintaining organizational security posture. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies and runtime application self-protection measures to provide additional defense layers against buffer overflow exploitation attempts.