CVE-2022-43904 in Security Guardium
Summary
by MITRE • 08/28/2023
IBM Security Guardium 11.3 and 11.4 could disclose sensitive information to an attacker due to improper restriction of excessive authentication attempts. IBM X-Force ID: 240895.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/28/2023
IBM Security Guardium version 11.3 and 11.4 contains a vulnerability that allows unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information through improper restriction of excessive authentication attempts. This flaw represents a critical weakness in the system's access control mechanisms and authentication handling protocols. The vulnerability stems from insufficient rate limiting and account lockout mechanisms that fail to properly constrain authentication attempts, creating opportunities for attackers to exploit the system through repeated login attempts. The improper restriction of authentication attempts directly violates security principles that mandate robust protection against brute force and credential stuffing attacks, which are commonly categorized under CWE-307.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability enables attackers to perform repeated authentication attempts without adequate system-enforced delays or account lockout procedures. This weakness allows for systematic credential guessing and password spraying attacks that can ultimately lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data within the Guardium environment. The flaw specifically impacts the authentication subsystem where the system fails to implement proper exponential backoff mechanisms or account lockout policies after multiple failed authentication attempts. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to systematically test various credential combinations against user accounts, potentially gaining access to database monitoring information, security policies, and other sensitive operational data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft to encompass potential data exfiltration and system compromise. Organizations using affected Guardium versions face elevated risk of unauthorized access to their database security monitoring capabilities, which could result in exposure of sensitive information and disruption of security operations. The vulnerability creates conditions where attackers can systematically enumerate valid user accounts and potentially escalate privileges through successful authentication attempts. This risk is particularly concerning given that Guardium serves as a database security monitoring solution, making it a prime target for adversaries seeking access to critical data assets. The vulnerability's impact aligns with attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under credential access and privilege escalation techniques.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper authentication rate limiting and account lockout policies within the Guardium system. Organizations should configure the system to enforce exponential backoff mechanisms after failed authentication attempts and implement automatic account lockout procedures following a predetermined number of consecutive failures. The remediation process should include updating to the latest available patches from IBM that address the authentication restriction flaw. Network-level protections such as intrusion detection systems and firewall rules can provide additional layers of defense by monitoring for suspicious authentication patterns and limiting access from potentially malicious sources. System administrators should also implement comprehensive monitoring and alerting for authentication events to detect and respond to exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of implementing robust authentication controls as outlined in security standards such as NIST SP 800-63B, which emphasizes the necessity of strong authentication mechanisms and protection against excessive authentication attempts.