CVE-2020-4172

Vulnerability

IBM Security Guardium Insights 2.0.1 stores sensitive information in URL parameters [1]. This design flaw means that any data passed in the query string of a request—such as authentication tokens, session identifiers, or internal configuration details—is recorded in server access logs, transmitted in the HTTP Referer header to linked sites, and persisted in the browser's history. The affected version is explicitly named as 2.0.1 [1]; earlier or later releases may not be vulnerable.

Exploitation

An attacker does not need any special network position or authentication to exploit this vulnerability. They only require access to any of the artifact repositories where URL parameters are stored: server log files, the HTTP Referer header when a user navigates from the Guardium Insights application to an external site, or the browser history of a user who has visited the application [1]. No user interaction beyond normal browsing is required for the information to be captured.

Impact

Successful exploitation results in the disclosure of sensitive information that was embedded in URL parameters [1]. The confidentiality of this data is compromised; the impact is limited to information disclosure (CIA: confidentiality). The attacker gains no code execution or privilege escalation, but the leaked information could include credentials or other secrets that enable further attacks.

Mitigation

IBM has addressed this vulnerability in a security bulletin [1]. The recommended mitigation is to upgrade to the latest version of IBM Security Guardium Insights that includes the fix. If an immediate upgrade is not possible, administrators should ensure that server logs are restricted to authorized personnel only, and consider using HTTP POST methods instead of GET where feasible to avoid placing sensitive data in URLs. There is no indication that this CVE is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.