CVE-2020-4803 in Edge
Summary
by MITRE • 09/24/2021
IBM Edge 4.2 allows web pages to be stored locally which can be read by another user on the system. IBM X-Force ID: 189535.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/01/2021
IBM Edge 4.2 contains a critical security vulnerability that enables unauthorized cross-user data access through local web page storage mechanisms. This vulnerability falls under the category of improper access control and data exposure, representing a significant risk to system integrity and user privacy. The flaw allows web pages to be cached or stored locally on the system in a manner that does not properly isolate data between different user contexts, creating a potential attack vector for privilege escalation and information disclosure. The vulnerability specifically affects how the Edge 4.2 platform handles local storage of web content, permitting one user to potentially access or read data that should be restricted to another user. This issue directly relates to CWE-200, which addresses improper exposure of sensitive information, and CWE-284, which covers improper access control mechanisms. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability can be exploited by malicious actors to gain unauthorized access to sensitive user data, session information, or application-specific content that should remain isolated between different system users. The attack surface is particularly concerning in multi-user environments where different individuals share the same system or platform resources. The vulnerability can be leveraged as part of a broader attack chain to escalate privileges or perform reconnaissance activities that would otherwise be restricted by proper access controls. The IBM X-Force ID 189535 further validates the severity of this issue and indicates that IBM has recognized it as a significant security concern requiring immediate attention. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1074.001, which involves data staging through local data staging mechanisms, and T1566.001, which covers spearphishing via web delivery attacks that could exploit such storage vulnerabilities. The impact extends beyond simple data exposure to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks where attackers can gather intelligence from multiple user sessions. Organizations using IBM Edge 4.2 should immediately implement mitigations including proper access control enforcement, user session isolation, and thorough security testing of local storage mechanisms. The vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental flaw in the platform's approach to user context separation and data protection, requiring comprehensive system hardening and security configuration reviews to prevent exploitation. Regular security audits and monitoring of local storage access patterns should be implemented to detect potential abuse of this vulnerability. The issue represents a critical failure in the platform's security architecture and requires immediate remediation to prevent unauthorized cross-user data access.