CVE-2023-38275 in Cognos Dashboards on Cloud Pak for Data
Summary
by MITRE • 10/25/2023
IBM Cognos Dashboards on Cloud Pak for Data 4.7.0 exposes sensitive information in container images which could lead to further attacks against the system. IBM X-Force ID: 260730.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/12/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-38275 affects IBM Cognos Dashboards running within the Cloud Pak for Data 4.7.0 environment, presenting a significant security risk through sensitive data exposure in container images. This issue stems from improper handling of credentials and configuration data within the deployment artifacts, creating potential attack vectors for malicious actors seeking to escalate their privileges or gain unauthorized access to the underlying system infrastructure.
The technical flaw manifests as the inclusion of sensitive information such as API keys, database credentials, and authentication tokens within the container images themselves rather than utilizing secure secret management mechanisms. This practice violates fundamental security principles and creates a persistent exposure surface that attackers can exploit through various techniques including image inspection, reverse engineering, and automated scanning tools. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses the exposure of sensitive information to an unauthorized actor, and represents a critical misconfiguration in the container deployment lifecycle that undermines the security posture of the entire platform.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential exposure, potentially enabling attackers to perform privilege escalation attacks, access restricted data, and compromise the integrity of the entire Cloud Pak for Data ecosystem. Attackers could leverage the exposed credentials to gain access to backend databases, other system components, and potentially move laterally within the network infrastructure. This exposure creates opportunities for attackers to establish persistent access, exfiltrate sensitive business intelligence data, and undermine the trust model that Cloud Pak for Data relies upon for enterprise security. The vulnerability also increases the attack surface for potential exploitation through techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1552, which covers "Unsecured Credentials" and T1078, which addresses "Valid Accounts" and unauthorized access to systems.
Organizations should implement immediate remediation measures including the complete reconfiguration of container images to remove all sensitive data, adoption of proper secret management solutions such as HashiCorp Vault or Kubernetes secrets, and implementation of image scanning protocols to prevent future occurrences. The mitigation strategy should include regular security auditing of container images, enforcement of secure configuration management practices, and deployment of automated tools to detect and prevent sensitive data leakage. Additionally, organizations must ensure that their DevOps pipelines incorporate security controls that prevent accidental credential inclusion in deployment artifacts, aligning with the security requirements of NIST SP 800-171 and other compliance frameworks that govern secure software development practices. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of treating container images as security-sensitive components that require the same level of scrutiny and protection as the applications they host.