CVE-2022-35280 in Robotic Process Automation
Summary
by MITRE • 08/10/2022
IBM Robotic Process Automation 21.0.0, 21.0.1, and 21.0.2 does not require that users should have strong passwords by default, which makes it easier for attackers to compromise user accounts. IBM X-Force ID: 230634.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/04/2022
IBM Robotic Process Automation versions 21.0.0 through 21.0.2 contain a critical security flaw that undermines fundamental authentication controls by failing to enforce strong password policies by default. This vulnerability resides in the platform's user account management system where password strength requirements are not automatically activated, creating an exploitable condition that significantly weakens the overall security posture. The flaw represents a direct violation of security best practices and industry standards such as those outlined in CWE-521 Weak Password Requirements, which specifically addresses the danger of insufficient password strength controls. Attackers can leverage this weakness to conduct credential stuffing, brute force attacks, or dictionary attacks against user accounts, as the system does not enforce minimum complexity requirements, length restrictions, or rotation policies that would normally prevent weak credential compromise. The impact extends beyond individual account compromise to potentially enable broader system infiltration, privilege escalation, and lateral movement within network environments where RPA platforms are deployed. Organizations utilizing these vulnerable versions face increased risk of unauthorized access, data breaches, and potential regulatory compliance violations, particularly in environments governed by standards such as ISO 27001, NIST SP 800-63, or PCI DSS that mandate robust authentication controls.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the default configuration settings within IBM Robotic Process Automation where password policy enforcement mechanisms are disabled or not properly initialized during system deployment. This design flaw allows users to create accounts with easily guessable passwords, single character passwords, or passwords that match common dictionary terms without any system validation or enforcement. From an operational perspective, this weakness creates a persistent attack surface that requires minimal effort from threat actors to exploit, as the system does not perform any automated checks against password strength criteria such as minimum length requirements, character set diversity, or prohibited pattern matching. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1110.003 Credential Stuffing, as the lack of strong password enforcement makes automated credential testing significantly more effective. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability exists at the platform level rather than being an application-specific issue, meaning that all user accounts created within these RPA versions are potentially at risk without explicit manual configuration of password policies.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including manual configuration of strong password requirements, enforcement of minimum password length standards of at least 12 characters, implementation of character set diversity requirements, and prohibition of commonly used passwords or patterns. The remediation process requires administrators to review and modify default system configurations to enforce password complexity controls, which should include requirements for uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numeric characters, and special symbols. System administrators should also implement account lockout policies, enforce password history requirements, and establish regular password rotation schedules to further strengthen authentication security. Additional defensive measures include implementing multi-factor authentication for privileged accounts, conducting regular security assessments of RPA environments, and monitoring for suspicious authentication patterns that may indicate credential compromise attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing automated tools to scan for and remediate weak password configurations across all deployed RPA instances, as the default vulnerability state creates an inherent risk that persists until explicit configuration changes are implemented. The vulnerability's classification as a default insecure configuration issue makes it particularly dangerous as it affects all new deployments without requiring additional attack vectors or exploit development.