CVE-2023-25686 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

This CVE, assigned by IBM, was published on March 21, 2023. It involves the IBM Security Guardium Key Lifecycle Manager, versions 3.0, 3.0.1, 4.0, 4.1, and 4.1.1, which stores user credentials in plain clear text, making them readable by a local user.

Understanding CVE-2023-25686

This section will delve deeper into the nature of CVE-2023-25686 and its impact on affected systems.

What is CVE-2023-25686?

CVE-2023-25686 refers to the vulnerability found in the IBM Security Guardium Key Lifecycle Manager that allows local users to access user credentials stored in plain text, posing a risk to the confidentiality of sensitive information.

The Impact of CVE-2023-25686

The impact of this vulnerability is categorized as medium severity with a CVSS base score of 6.2. It mainly affects the confidentiality of user data, potentially exposing critical information to unauthorized access.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-25686

This section will provide insights into the vulnerability description, affected systems, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in IBM Security Key Lifecycle Manager allows user credentials to be stored in plain text, facilitating unauthorized access to sensitive information by local users.

Affected Systems and Versions

The versions affected by this vulnerability include IBM Security Guardium Key Lifecycle Manager versions 3.0, 3.0.1, 4.0, 4.1, and 4.1.1.

Exploitation Mechanism

Local users can exploit this vulnerability to read user credentials stored in plain clear text, compromising the confidentiality of sensitive data.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2023-25686, immediate steps should be taken along with long-term security practices to prevent future vulnerabilities.

Immediate Steps to Take

Immediately review and update user credentials in the affected versions of IBM Security Guardium Key Lifecycle Manager. Limit access to sensitive information to authorized users only.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement encryption mechanisms for storing user credentials securely and regularly monitor access controls to prevent unauthorized disclosure of sensitive data.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that the affected systems are patched with the latest updates from IBM Security Guardium Key Lifecycle Manager to remediate this vulnerability and enhance the overall security posture of the system.