CVE-2019-4694

Vulnerability

IBM Security Guardium Data Encryption (GDE) version 3.0.0.2 contains hard-coded credentials, such as passwords or cryptographic keys, that the product uses for inbound authentication, outbound communication to external components, or encryption of internal data [1]. This vulnerability is identified by IBM X-Force ID 171832 and is classified as CVE-2019-4694.

Exploitation

An attacker with network access to the affected system can leverage the hard-coded credentials to authenticate as the application or decrypt internal data without needing valid user credentials [1]. No special privileges or user interaction is required; the attacker only needs knowledge of the embedded credentials.

Impact

Successful exploitation allows an attacker to gain unauthorized access to the system, potentially reading sensitive data protected by the hard-coded encryption keys or authenticating as the application to external components [1]. The primary impact is on data confidentiality, as the attacker can bypass normal authentication mechanisms and decrypt internal data.

Mitigation

IBM has released a fix for this vulnerability. Users should upgrade to IBM Guardium Data Encryption (GDE) version 3.0.0.3 or later, as specified in the security bulletin [1]. If upgrading is not immediately possible, organizations should restrict network access to the GDE system and review the product's configuration to minimize exposure.