CVE-2020-4696 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

IBM Cloud Pak for Security 1.3.0.1(CP4S) allows an authenticated user to access sensitive information from a previous session due to session fixation vulnerability.

Understanding CVE-2020-4696

IBM Cloud Pak for Security version 1.3.0.1 is affected by a session fixation vulnerability that poses a medium severity risk.

What is CVE-2020-4696?

The vulnerability in IBM Cloud Pak for Security 1.3.0.1 allows an authenticated user to obtain sensitive information from a previous session as the session is not invalidated after logout.

The Impact of CVE-2020-4696

The vulnerability has a CVSS base score of 5.3 (Medium severity) and could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, impacting the confidentiality of user information.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-4696

IBM Cloud Pak for Security 1.3.0.1 is susceptible to session fixation attacks.

Vulnerability Description

The issue arises from the failure to invalidate the session after user logout.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Cloud Pak for Security
Vendor: IBM
Version: 1.3.0.1

Exploitation Mechanism

Attack Complexity: Low
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Exploit Code Maturity: Unproven

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take:

IBM recommends applying the official fix provided by the vendor. Long-Term Security Practices:
Regularly review and update session management mechanisms.
Educate users on secure logout practices.
Monitor and audit session activities for anomalies.
Implement multi-factor authentication for enhanced security.

Patching and Updates

IBM has released an official fix to address the session fixation vulnerability in Cloud Pak for Security version 1.3.0.1.