CVE-2021-29697 in Cloud Pak for Security
Summary
by MITRE • 08/02/2021
IBM Cloud Pak for Security (CP4S) 1.5.0.0, 1.5.1.0, 1.6.0.0, 1.6.1.0, 1.7.0.0, and 1.7.1.0 could allow a remote authenticated attacker to obtain sensitive information through HTTP requests that could be used in further attacks against the system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/06/2021
IBM Cloud Pak for Security version 1.5.0.0 through 1.7.1.0 contains a vulnerability that allows remote authenticated attackers to extract sensitive information via crafted HTTP requests. This flaw represents a significant security weakness that could enable attackers to gather intelligence about the system's configuration, underlying infrastructure, or operational details. The vulnerability exists within the application's handling of HTTP requests and specifically affects authenticated users who can leverage this weakness to obtain information that could facilitate more sophisticated attacks. The exposure of sensitive data through this vector creates a pathway for attackers to develop targeted exploitation strategies against the system's components and services. According to the CWE framework, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which covers information exposure, and represents a classic case of insufficient logging or monitoring that allows unauthorized information disclosure. The impact extends beyond simple data leakage as the gathered information could reveal system architecture details, component versions, or internal configuration parameters that attackers could use to craft more effective attacks. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not need physical access to the system or local network presence, making it particularly dangerous in cloud environments where systems are exposed to external networks. Organizations using these CP4S versions face increased risk of targeted attacks that could lead to privilege escalation, data breaches, or system compromise. The authentication requirement provides some protection but does not eliminate the threat entirely, as attackers who gain access to valid credentials or exploit authentication bypass techniques could leverage this vulnerability. This weakness directly relates to ATT&CK technique T1083, which covers discovery of system information, and T1566, which covers credential harvesting through social engineering or network attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation and response handling within the web application's HTTP request processing pipeline. Attackers could potentially exploit this by crafting specific HTTP requests that trigger information disclosure mechanisms within the CP4S application. The exposure of sensitive information through HTTP responses could include system logs, configuration files, internal service endpoints, or other operational details that would normally remain hidden from external access. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of a broader attack surface assessment, as the information obtained could be used to identify additional weaknesses in the system's security posture. The vulnerability's presence in multiple versions suggests a systemic issue within the CP4S application architecture rather than an isolated incident, indicating that the flaw may be deeply embedded in the application's core functionality. Security teams should implement monitoring for unusual HTTP request patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, as well as ensure that proper access controls and authentication mechanisms remain intact. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper information hiding and defense in depth strategies, where even authenticated users should not be granted access to sensitive operational information that could aid in further attacks. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected versions and consider implementing additional network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities. This weakness represents a critical gap in the application's security architecture that requires immediate attention to prevent exploitation by malicious actors who may be actively targeting IBM Cloud Pak for Security installations. The information disclosure could enable attackers to develop more sophisticated attack vectors, including targeted phishing campaigns, privilege escalation attempts, or direct exploitation of other system vulnerabilities that might be revealed through the disclosed information.