CVE-2020-4882 in Planning Analytics
Summary
by MITRE • 03/22/2021
IBM Planning Analytics 2.0 could be vulnerable to a Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) attack by constucting URLs from user-controlled data . This could enable attackers to make arbitrary requests to the internal network or to the local file system. IBM X-Force ID: 190852.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/03/2021
IBM Planning Analytics version 2.0 contains a critical server-side request forgery vulnerability that arises from improper validation of user-supplied input data. The flaw occurs when the application constructs URLs using parameters provided by external users without adequate sanitization or verification processes. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-918 category of Server-Side Request Forgery, which is classified as a serious security weakness in web applications. The vulnerability allows attackers to manipulate the URL construction logic by injecting malicious input that gets directly incorporated into network requests made by the server. This represents a fundamental breakdown in the application's trust model where user input is treated as authoritative without proper validation mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables attackers to bypass network segmentation controls and potentially access internal systems that would normally be protected from external access. An attacker could leverage this flaw to perform reconnaissance activities by making requests to internal services, databases, or network endpoints that are not directly exposed to the internet. The vulnerability also poses a risk for local file system access, allowing potential exploitation of the underlying operating system through crafted requests that could read sensitive files or execute arbitrary commands. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where planning analytics applications often have elevated privileges and access to critical business data. The attack surface extends beyond simple network reconnaissance to include potential data exfiltration and further lateral movement within the compromised network.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with the ATT&CK framework's T1071.004 technique for application layer protocol: DNS and T1018 for remote system discovery. The vulnerability enables attackers to perform internal network enumeration and potentially establish persistence through file system access. IBM has addressed this issue through their security patches and updates, which typically involve implementing proper input validation, sanitization, and the use of allowlists for URL construction. Organizations should implement network segmentation controls and monitor for unusual outbound network requests that could indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of secure coding practices and input validation in enterprise applications, particularly those handling user-supplied data for network operations. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of similar applications within their environment to identify potential variants of this flaw that could exist in other systems using similar URL construction patterns.