CVE-2020-6258 in Identity Management
Summary
by MITRE
SAP Identity Management, version 8.0, does not perform necessary authorization checks for an authenticated user, allowing the attacker to view certain sensitive information of the victim, leading to Missing Authorization Check.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/16/2020
SAP Identity Management version 8.0 contains a critical authorization flaw that violates fundamental security principles governing access control mechanisms. This vulnerability manifests as a missing authorization check that permits authenticated attackers to access sensitive user information belonging to other system users. The flaw exists within the application's permission model where proper access validation procedures are not enforced during information retrieval operations, creating an avenue for unauthorized data exposure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and access control enforcement within the identity management framework. When authenticated users attempt to access user-related information through the application's interface, the system fails to verify whether the requesting user has legitimate authorization to view the target user's data. This absence of proper authorization checks creates a direct path for privilege escalation and information disclosure attacks. The vulnerability specifically affects the application's ability to enforce mandatory access controls, which are essential for maintaining data confidentiality and user privacy within enterprise identity management systems.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations utilizing SAP Identity Management 8.0, as it enables attackers to potentially access sensitive personal and organizational data belonging to other users. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the exposed data could include user credentials, access rights, personal identification information, and other confidential attributes stored within the identity management system. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to conduct reconnaissance activities, escalate privileges, or perform targeted attacks against specific user accounts, making it particularly dangerous in environments where identity management systems serve as central repositories for critical access control information.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization within software systems, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege that should govern all access control mechanisms. Organizations may find this issue particularly concerning when considering the ATT&CK framework's perspective on credential access and privilege escalation techniques, as this vulnerability directly enables adversaries to bypass normal access controls and obtain unauthorized access to user data. The flaw's impact is amplified in environments where identity management systems integrate with other enterprise applications, as compromised access to identity data could potentially lead to broader system compromise.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper authorization controls and access validation mechanisms within the SAP Identity Management system. Organizations should prioritize applying available patches and updates from SAP to address the missing authorization checks. Additionally, implementing network segmentation, monitoring access patterns, and establishing robust audit trails can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Security teams should conduct thorough access control reviews and ensure that proper authorization checks are enforced for all user data access operations. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be performed to identify similar authorization gaps within the identity management infrastructure and other enterprise applications.