CVE-2023-24959 in InfoSphere Information Systems
Summary
by MITRE • 08/28/2023
IBM InfoSphere Information Systems 11.7 could expose information about the host system and environment configuration. IBM X-Force ID: 246332.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/20/2023
IBM InfoSphere Information Systems version 11.7 contains a vulnerability that allows unauthorized information disclosure through the exposure of host system details and environment configuration data. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the application's response handling processes. The flaw enables attackers to obtain sensitive information about the underlying operating system, network configuration, and system architecture that could be leveraged for subsequent exploitation attempts.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the system processes certain requests or queries that trigger the inclusion of system metadata in response payloads. This typically happens through improper handling of error messages, diagnostic information, or configuration data that gets inadvertently exposed to authenticated or unauthenticated users. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the application layer and can be exploited without requiring elevated privileges or specialized attack vectors.
From an operational impact perspective, this information disclosure vulnerability significantly weakens the security posture of systems running IBM InfoSphere Information Systems 11.7. Attackers who successfully exploit this flaw can gather valuable reconnaissance data including operating system versions, installed software components, network configurations, and potentially sensitive system identifiers. This intelligence can be used to tailor more sophisticated attacks, identify system weaknesses, and plan targeted exploitation strategies. The exposure of environment configuration details may also reveal network topology information that could aid in lateral movement within compromised networks.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses the improper exposure of sensitive information, and represents a classic example of information disclosure through inadequate input sanitization. From an attacker's perspective, this flaw maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1082 for system information discovery and T1592 for reconnaissance using multiple sources. The impact is particularly severe in environments where the application serves as a central information hub or where it interacts with sensitive data repositories. Organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential damage from such information exposure.
Mitigation strategies should include applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates immediately upon release. System administrators should also implement input validation controls to prevent malformed requests from triggering information exposure responses. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns of information requests that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities across the application stack, and proper access controls should be enforced to limit who can interact with the system's diagnostic and configuration interfaces. Organizations should also consider implementing application firewalls and web application security measures to further protect against such information disclosure scenarios.