CVE-2020-4952 in Security Guardium
Summary
by MITRE • 01/28/2021
IBM Security Guardium 11.2 could allow an authenticated user to gain root access due to improper access control. IBM X-Force ID: 192028.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/20/2021
IBM Security Guardium version 11.2 contains a critical access control vulnerability that allows authenticated users to escalate their privileges to root level access. This flaw represents a severe privilege escalation vulnerability that directly violates fundamental security principles of least privilege and principle of least authority. The vulnerability stems from improper access control mechanisms within the application's permission model, where authenticated users can manipulate system resources beyond their intended authorization boundaries.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the exploitation of insufficient input validation and privilege checking mechanisms within the Guardium administrative interface. Attackers with legitimate user credentials can leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary commands with root privileges, effectively bypassing all standard access controls and security boundaries. This type of vulnerability typically falls under CWE-284 which specifically addresses improper access control issues in software systems. The flaw exists in the application's handling of administrative functions where proper privilege verification checks are either missing or inadequately implemented.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is devastating for organizations relying on IBM Security Guardium for database security and compliance monitoring. A successful exploitation could result in complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and the ability to manipulate security policies and monitoring configurations. Organizations using Guardium for protecting sensitive data environments face significant risk as attackers could gain unrestricted access to all database activities, audit logs, and security controls. This vulnerability directly impacts the CIA triad by compromising confidentiality, integrity, and availability of protected systems and data. The attack vector requires only authenticated access, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by insider threats or compromised user accounts.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patch application from IBM Security, which addresses the underlying access control implementation issues. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to Guardium systems and enforce strict access control policies. Additional defensive measures include monitoring for unusual administrative activities, implementing multi-factor authentication for privileged access, and conducting regular privilege reviews. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper access control implementation as outlined in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers local privilege escalation. Security teams should also consider implementing privileged access management solutions to reduce the attack surface and enforce just-in-time access controls. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar access control weaknesses in other enterprise applications and systems.