CVE-2021-38892 in Planning Analytics
Summary
by MITRE • 01/12/2022
IBM Planning Analytics 2.0 and IBM Planning Analytics Workspace 2.0 DQM API allows submitting of all control requests in unauthenticated sessions. This allows a remote threat actor who can access (without previous authentication) a valid PA endpoint to read and write files to the IBM Planning Analytics system. Depending on file system permissions up to path traversal and possibly remote code execution. IBM X-Force ID: 209511.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/15/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-38892 affects IBM Planning Analytics 2.0 and IBM Planning Analytics Workspace 2.0 versions, specifically targeting the Data Quality Management API component. This issue represents a critical authentication bypass flaw that fundamentally undermines the security posture of these enterprise planning applications. The vulnerability exists within the DQM API's control request handling mechanism, where the system fails to properly validate authentication status before processing administrative operations. Attackers exploiting this weakness can submit control requests without prior authentication, effectively gaining unauthorized access to the underlying system infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access control mechanisms within the API endpoint. The DQM API appears to lack proper session validation and authentication checks when processing control requests, allowing any remote actor with network access to the valid PA endpoint to execute administrative functions. This flaw operates at the application layer and directly violates fundamental security principles of authentication and authorization. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues, and represents a significant deviation from the expected security model where all administrative operations should require proper authentication before execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple unauthorized access, creating substantial risks for enterprise environments utilizing IBM Planning Analytics. Threat actors who can reach the affected endpoints gain the ability to read and write files to the system, potentially leading to data exfiltration, system compromise, and unauthorized modifications to critical business planning data. The risk escalates when considering that the vulnerability may enable path traversal attacks, allowing attackers to navigate beyond the intended application boundaries and access sensitive system files or directories. Under certain file system permission configurations, this vulnerability could potentially lead to remote code execution, providing attackers with full system compromise capabilities. The implications are particularly severe for organizations that rely on Planning Analytics for critical business operations and sensitive financial planning data.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations to protect their systems from exploitation. The primary recommendation involves applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates as soon as they become available through IBM's security advisory channels. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit exposure of the affected endpoints to only authorized users and systems. Implementing proper authentication mechanisms for all API endpoints, including the DQM API, is essential to prevent unauthorized access. Additionally, organizations should monitor network traffic for suspicious API activity and implement intrusion detection systems to identify potential exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar authentication bypass issues within the broader application ecosystem, as this vulnerability may indicate broader architectural weaknesses in the authentication framework. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under privilege escalation and persistence techniques, highlighting the need for comprehensive security monitoring and response procedures to detect and mitigate such threats effectively.