CVE-2022-22377 in Security Verify Privilege On-Premises
Summary
by MITRE • 10/25/2023
IBM Security Verify Privilege On-Premises 11.5 could allow a remote attacker to obtain sensitive information, caused by the failure to properly enable HTTP Strict Transport Security. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to obtain sensitive information using man in the middle techniques. IBM X-Force ID: 221827.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/25/2023
IBM Security Verify Privilege On-Premises version 11.5 contains a critical security flaw that exposes systems to man-in-the-middle attacks through improper implementation of HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) mechanisms. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-319 category, which specifically addresses the improper handling of sensitive information over network connections. The flaw represents a significant weakness in the application's security posture as it fails to enforce secure communication channels between clients and the server, leaving sensitive data susceptible to interception and unauthorized access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the absence of proper HSTS header configuration within the web application's response headers. When HSTS is correctly implemented, it instructs web browsers to only communicate with the server over HTTPS connections and to reject any HTTP requests that would otherwise be redirected to HTTPS. Without this mechanism in place, attackers can exploit the lack of secure communication enforcement to perform session hijacking, cookie theft, and other forms of credential interception. The vulnerability specifically affects the authentication and authorization processes within the privilege management system, potentially allowing attackers to escalate their privileges or gain unauthorized access to sensitive organizational resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates a pathway for attackers to compromise the entire privilege management infrastructure. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could intercept authentication tokens, session cookies, and other sensitive data transmitted between users and the security verify system. This could result in unauthorized access to privileged accounts, privilege escalation attacks, and complete compromise of the security verification environment. The attack vector requires minimal sophistication as it leverages standard man-in-the-middle techniques that are readily available to threat actors, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where network traffic may be intercepted.
Organizations utilizing IBM Security Verify Privilege On-Premises 11.5 should immediately implement mitigations that include proper HSTS header implementation with appropriate preload directives, enforcement of HTTPS-only communication, and comprehensive network monitoring for suspicious traffic patterns. The mitigation strategy should align with NIST SP 800-53 security controls and follow the ATT&CK framework's T1566 technique for credential access through man-in-the-middle attacks. Security teams should also implement certificate pinning mechanisms and regularly audit their web application configurations to ensure compliance with secure communication standards. Additionally, network segmentation and intrusion detection systems should be deployed to detect and prevent exploitation attempts, while regular security assessments should verify that the HSTS implementation is properly enforcing secure communication protocols across all application components.