CVE-2020-4661 in Security Access Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 10/12/2020
IBM Security Access Manager 9.0.7 and IBM Security Verify Access 10.0.0 could allow an attacker to obtain sensitive using timing side channel attacks which could aid in further attacks against the system. IBM X-Force ID: 186142.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/18/2020
IBM Security Access Manager version 9.0.7 and IBM Security Verify Access version 10.0.0 contain a timing side channel vulnerability that enables attackers to extract sensitive information through measurement of response times during authentication processes. This weakness falls under the category of timing attacks as defined by CWE-347, where attackers exploit variations in system response times to infer information about cryptographic keys, passwords, or other sensitive data. The vulnerability specifically affects the authentication mechanisms within these identity and access management solutions, which are critical components for securing enterprise environments.
The technical implementation flaw stems from inconsistent processing times during authentication validation routines. When the system evaluates user credentials, certain operations take different amounts of time depending on whether specific characters in passwords or tokens match expected values. Attackers can measure these timing differences through repeated authentication attempts and statistical analysis to gradually deduce valid credentials or cryptographic material. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the protocol level and can be executed remotely without requiring elevated privileges or direct system access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft to potentially compromise entire access control systems. An attacker who successfully exploits this timing side channel could gain unauthorized access to protected resources, escalate privileges within the security infrastructure, or use obtained information to launch more sophisticated attacks against the organization's security posture. The vulnerability affects enterprise environments that rely on these access management solutions for protecting sensitive data, applications, and network resources. Organizations using these products face increased risk of data breaches and unauthorized access incidents that could result in significant financial and reputational damage.
Mitigation strategies should include implementing constant-time comparison algorithms for all cryptographic operations and authentication routines to eliminate timing variations that could be exploited. Organizations should also deploy network monitoring tools to detect unusual patterns of authentication attempts that might indicate timing attack activity. The IBM Security team has released patches and fixes for this vulnerability, which should be applied immediately to all affected systems. Additional defensive measures include implementing rate limiting, account lockout mechanisms, and multi-factor authentication to add layers of protection beyond what a single timing attack could compromise. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1214, which covers credential harvesting through credential access methods, and demonstrates the importance of proper implementation of cryptographic operations in security systems. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems specifically designed to identify timing-based attacks and conduct regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in their access management infrastructure.