CVE-2020-4622 in Data Risk Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Data Risk Manager (iDNA) 2.0.6 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: 184983.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/23/2020
IBM Data Risk Manager version 2.0.6 contains a critical security vulnerability involving hard-coded credentials that poses significant risks to organizational security infrastructure. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-798 weakness category, which specifically addresses the use of hard-coded credentials in software applications. The presence of hardcoded authentication credentials within the iDNA application creates a persistent security risk that extends beyond typical configuration management issues. These credentials are embedded directly within the application code or configuration files, making them accessible to anyone with access to the application binaries or source code. The vulnerability affects the application's ability to authenticate itself to external components and manage internal data encryption processes, creating potential attack vectors for malicious actors seeking unauthorized access to sensitive data environments.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the inclusion of authentication tokens, passwords, or cryptographic keys within the application's source code or configuration files in a manner that cannot be easily modified without code changes. This approach violates fundamental security principles of credential management and creates a single point of failure for the entire system. When credentials are hardcoded, they become permanently embedded within the application regardless of deployment environments or security requirements. The vulnerability impacts both inbound authentication mechanisms where the application must authenticate itself to other systems and outbound communication where it connects to external components. Additionally, the hardcoded keys may be used for encrypting internal data, creating potential exposure of sensitive information if the application's code is compromised. This type of vulnerability represents a significant deviation from secure coding practices and demonstrates poor security architecture design.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond immediate security concerns to encompass potential data breaches, unauthorized access to sensitive information, and compromise of the entire data risk management infrastructure. Attackers who discover these hardcoded credentials can exploit them to gain unauthorized access to the iDNA system and potentially escalate privileges to access underlying data stores or connected systems. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of data processed by IBM Data Risk Manager, potentially exposing sensitive risk assessment information and organizational data. Organizations relying on this system may experience cascading security failures if attackers use these credentials to access interconnected systems or databases. The impact is particularly severe because these credentials are likely to remain unchanged across different deployments, making them persistent targets for exploitation. This vulnerability also undermines the trust model of the security infrastructure and can lead to compliance violations in regulated environments where credential management is strictly controlled.
Organizations should immediately implement multiple layers of mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability in IBM Data Risk Manager 2.0.6. The primary mitigation involves removing hardcoded credentials from the application code and implementing proper credential management practices using secure configuration management systems. Security teams should conduct comprehensive code reviews to identify any additional hardcoded credentials within the application or related components. The implementation of dynamic credential loading mechanisms and secure vault solutions can help prevent future occurrences of similar vulnerabilities. Organizations should also establish strict change management processes that prevent hardcoded credentials from being introduced into production code. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify any remaining credential exposure issues. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding guidelines and implementing proper credential lifecycle management practices. Organizations should consider implementing automated tools to scan for hardcoded credentials during code development and deployment processes, aligning with best practices recommended by the OWASP Top Ten project and NIST cybersecurity frameworks. The remediation process should include complete reconfiguration of the application to use external authentication mechanisms rather than hardcoded credentials, ensuring long-term security and compliance with industry standards.