CVE-2021-39013 in Cloud Pak for Security
Summary
by MITRE • 12/22/2021
IBM Cloud Pak for Security (CP4S) 1.7.2.0, 1.7.1.0, and 1.7.0.0 could allow an authenticated user to obtain sensitive information in HTTP responses that could be used in further attacks against the system. IBM X-Force ID: 213651.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/25/2021
IBM Cloud Pak for Security version 1.7.2.0, 1.7.1.0, and 1.7.0.0 contains a vulnerability that allows authenticated users to extract sensitive information from HTTP responses through improper error handling mechanisms. This flaw represents a classic information disclosure vulnerability that can significantly impact the security posture of the affected system. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly sanitize or filter error messages and response data that may contain internal system details, configuration information, or other sensitive metadata. When authenticated users make specific requests to the system, they can trigger responses that inadvertently expose system internals, which could include file paths, database connection details, internal service endpoints, or other diagnostic information that should remain confidential.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application's HTTP response handling where error conditions are not adequately masked or controlled. This creates an information leakage scenario where attackers with valid credentials can systematically probe the system to gather intelligence that would normally be restricted. The flaw operates at the application layer and can be exploited through standard HTTP request methods, making it particularly dangerous as it requires minimal privileges to exploit. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which specifically addresses the exposure of sensitive information, and represents a significant concern for systems handling security-sensitive data. The vulnerability can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1213.002 for data from information repositories, as it allows unauthorized information gathering through system responses.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the gathered intelligence can enable more sophisticated attacks. Attackers can use the leaked information to craft targeted attacks against specific system components, identify potential attack vectors, or develop more effective exploitation strategies for other vulnerabilities within the same system. The fact that this affects multiple versions of the Cloud Pak for Security indicates a systemic issue in the application's security design rather than an isolated incident. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations using IBM Cloud Pak for Security as their primary security orchestration platform, potentially compromising their ability to detect and respond to threats effectively. The exposure of internal system details can also facilitate lateral movement within networks, as attackers can use the gathered information to map internal architectures and identify critical assets.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including thorough review and hardening of error handling procedures, implementation of comprehensive logging mechanisms to detect exploitation attempts, and deployment of web application firewalls to monitor and filter suspicious responses. Regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the security infrastructure. The remediation process should involve updating to patched versions of IBM Cloud Pak for Security, ensuring proper input validation, and implementing robust response sanitization protocols. Additionally, security teams should establish monitoring procedures to detect unusual patterns of information gathering attempts and maintain detailed audit trails of system access and error response generation. This vulnerability underscores the critical importance of proper error handling in security-sensitive applications and demonstrates how seemingly minor implementation flaws can create significant security risks.