CVE-2020-4208 : Security Advisory and Response

IBM Spectrum Protect Plus versions 10.1.0 through 10.1.5 have hard-coded credentials, posing a security risk. Learn about the impact, technical details, and mitigation steps.

Understanding CVE-2020-4208

IBM Spectrum Protect Plus 10.1.0 through 10.1.5 contains hard-coded credentials, such as passwords or cryptographic keys, which can be exploited by attackers.

What is CVE-2020-4208?

This CVE refers to the presence of hard-coded credentials in IBM Spectrum Protect Plus versions 10.1.0 through 10.1.5, potentially leading to unauthorized access and data breaches.

The Impact of CVE-2020-4208

The vulnerability has a CVSS base score of 7.5 (High severity) and affects confidentiality with a high impact. Although the exploit code maturity is unproven, the risk of unauthorized access is significant.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-4208

IBM Spectrum Protect Plus vulnerability details and affected systems.

Vulnerability Description

The issue involves hard-coded credentials in versions 10.1.0 through 10.1.5, used for authentication, communication, and data encryption, potentially leading to unauthorized access.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Spectrum Protect Plus
Vendor: IBM
Versions: 10.1.0, 10.1.5

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit the hard-coded credentials to gain unauthorized access to the system, compromising data confidentiality.

Mitigation and Prevention

Steps to address and prevent the CVE-2020-4208 vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update to the latest version of IBM Spectrum Protect Plus that addresses the hard-coded credentials issue.
Monitor system logs for any suspicious activities indicating unauthorized access.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement strong password policies and regular password changes.
Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing to identify vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Apply official fixes and security patches provided by IBM to eliminate the hard-coded credentials vulnerability.