IBM Data Risk Manager Remote Command Execution Vulnerability Advisory (CVE-2020-4428)
Executive & SecOps Summary
SECOPS ASSESSMENTIBM Data Risk Manager versions 2.0.1, 2.0.2, 2.0.3, and 2.0.4.
A remote authenticated attacker with high privileges could execute arbitrary OS commands, leading to complete system compromise.
Apply the official IBM security patches immediately and restrict network access to the management interface.
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
According to the official IBM Security Advisory (node/6206875), users must upgrade to a patched version. Execute the update command within the virtual appliance console:
# Access the IBM Data Risk Manager Virtual Appliance console and run the update
idrm-update -v 2.0.52. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
If patching cannot be applied immediately, restrict access to the IBM Data Risk Manager administrative console (e.g., port 8443) using a firewall or an Nginx reverse proxy to allow only trusted IP addresses.
# Example Nginx configuration to restrict access to the IDRM console
server {
listen 8443 ssl;
server_name idrm.local;
# Allow only trusted administrator IP range
allow 10.10.10.0/24;
deny all;
location / {
proxy_pass https://127.0.0.1:8443;
}
}3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
Use the following commands to verify the installed version of IBM Data Risk Manager and inspect application logs for potential command injection attempts.
# 1. Check the installed IDRM package version
rpm -qa | grep -i 'data-risk-manager'
# 2. Scan web server and application logs for command injection patterns
grep -Ei '(\;|\||\&|\`|\$\()' /var/log/nginx/access.log /opt/IBM/IDRM/logs/*.log 2>/dev/nullBlock Exploits Instantly with Managed Virtual Patching Rules
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Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics
1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause
This vulnerability (CVE-2020-4428) is an OS Command Injection vulnerability (CWE-78) residing in IBM Data Risk Manager (IDRM). The root cause is the application's failure to properly sanitize or escape user-supplied input before passing it to a system shell for execution. This allows an authenticated user with administrative privileges to inject malicious OS commands.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
An attacker must first authenticate to the IBM Data Risk Manager application with high-privileged credentials. Once authenticated, the attacker can send crafted requests containing shell metacharacters (such as ';', '&', or '|') followed by arbitrary commands to vulnerable API endpoints or configuration fields. The application executes these inputs with the privileges of the underlying web service user, enabling the attacker to establish a reverse shell or manipulate system files.
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
With a CVSS score of 9.1 (Critical) and its inclusion in the CISA KEV catalog, this vulnerability poses a severe threat. Successful exploitation results in a complete loss of confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Since IBM Data Risk Manager centralizes sensitive enterprise data assets and vulnerability information, a compromise of this platform could expose critical infrastructure details to adversaries, leading to severe business disruption.
Official Vendor Advisories & References
IBM Data Risk Manager 2.0.1, 2.0.2, 2.0.3, and 2.0.4 could allow a remote authenticated attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the system. IBM X-Force ID: 180533.
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2020-4428)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2020-4428 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2020-4428 is rated CVSS 9.1 (CRITICAL) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 61.7%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2020-4428?
Primary impacted vendors include ibm across data risk manager. Scope summary: IBM Data Risk Manager 2.0.1, 2.0.2, 2.0.3, 2.0.4
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2020-4428 before patching?
[Mitigation] Apply the official IBM security patches immediately and restrict network access to the management interface. Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.
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