CVE-2020-4811 in Cloud Pak for Security
Summary
by MITRE • 05/15/2021
IBM Cloud Pak for Security (CP4S) 1.4.0.0, 1.5.0.0, 1.5.0.1, 1.6.0.0, and 1.6.0.1 could allow a privileged user to inject inject malicious data using a specially crafted HTTP request due to improper input validation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/16/2021
IBM Cloud Pak for Security version 1.4.0.0 through 1.6.0.1 contains a critical input validation vulnerability that enables authenticated attackers with privileged access to perform malicious data injection attacks through crafted HTTP requests. This vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input within the application's request processing pipeline, creating an avenue for attackers to manipulate system behavior through carefully constructed HTTP payloads. The flaw specifically affects the system's handling of HTTP request parameters and headers, where the application fails to properly validate or sanitize input before processing, allowing malicious data to be injected into the system's internal operations. This vulnerability is particularly concerning as it requires only privileged user access, meaning that an attacker who has already gained administrative credentials or elevated privileges within the CP4S environment can exploit this weakness. The improper input validation creates a potential for several attack vectors including but not limited to command injection, data manipulation, and unauthorized access to sensitive system resources. According to the CWE database, this vulnerability maps to CWE-20, which represents "Improper Input Validation" and falls under the broader category of injection flaws that are among the most prevalent and dangerous security weaknesses in web applications. The attack surface is further expanded by the fact that CP4S operates as a comprehensive security platform that aggregates and processes sensitive security data, making successful exploitation potentially devastating for organizations relying on the platform for their security operations. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability could allow an attacker to manipulate security policies, alter log data, inject malicious commands, or access confidential security information that would otherwise be protected by the platform's access controls. The impact extends beyond simple data corruption as the compromised system could be used as a pivot point for further attacks within the organization's network infrastructure. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059, which covers "Command and Scripting Interpreter" and T1566, which addresses "Phishing", as attackers could leverage this weakness to execute malicious commands or craft phishing attacks that bypass security controls. Organizations using IBM Cloud Pak for Security should immediately implement mitigations including applying the latest security patches from IBM, implementing additional input validation measures, and monitoring for suspicious HTTP request patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability represents a significant risk to security orchestration and incident response capabilities, as compromised systems could lead to complete loss of security monitoring effectiveness and potential data breaches.