CVE-2020-4776 in Curam Social Program Management
Summary
by MITRE • 10/12/2020
A path traversal vulnerability may impact IBM Curam Social Program Management 7.0.9 and 7.0.10, which could allow a remote attacker to traverse directories on the system. An attacker could send a specially-crafted file path in URL request to view arbitrary files on the system. IBM X-Force ID: 189154.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/18/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-4776 represents a critical path traversal flaw within IBM Curam Social Program Management version 7.0.9 and 7.0.10. This security weakness enables remote attackers to exploit directory traversal mechanisms through crafted URL requests, potentially gaining unauthorized access to sensitive system files and data. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization of file path parameters within the application's web interface, creating an avenue for malicious actors to navigate beyond intended directories and access restricted resources.
This path traversal vulnerability falls under the CWE-22 category, which specifically addresses improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as directory traversal or path traversal attacks. The flaw allows attackers to manipulate file path parameters in HTTP requests to access files outside the intended directory structure, potentially exposing confidential information, configuration files, or system resources. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it operates remotely without requiring authentication, making it particularly dangerous for systems that are publicly accessible or exposed to untrusted networks.
The operational implications of this vulnerability are severe for organizations utilizing IBM Curam Social Program Management, as it could lead to unauthorized data access, information disclosure, and potential system compromise. Attackers could leverage this flaw to access sensitive social program data, user information, system configurations, or even execute malicious code if the application has write permissions. The vulnerability affects the application's web server component where file handling operations occur, potentially exposing the underlying operating system's file system structure to external attackers. Organizations may face regulatory compliance issues and data breach consequences if this vulnerability is exploited successfully, particularly in environments handling protected social program information.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-4776 should include immediate application of IBM's security patches and updates for Curam Social Program Management versions 7.0.9 and 7.0.10. Organizations should implement proper input validation and sanitization measures to prevent malicious path traversal attempts, including the removal of special characters and directory traversal sequences from user-supplied input. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit exposure of the vulnerable application to untrusted networks, while implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious URL patterns. Additionally, regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in the application's architecture. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under T1083 - File and Directory Discovery, highlighting the reconnaissance phase that attackers typically perform before executing more sophisticated attacks. System administrators should also consider implementing automated monitoring solutions to detect unusual file access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, while maintaining detailed audit logs for forensic analysis purposes.