IBM Data Risk Manager Directory Traversal Arbitrary File Download Vulnerability (CVE-2020-4430) Security Advisory
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 can exploit this vulnerability to traverse directories and download arbitrary sensitive files from the system, leading to information disclosure.
Apply the official security patches provided by IBM to upgrade to a secure version.
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
Apply the official security updates provided by IBM. For containerized deployments, pull and deploy the patched image using the following commands:
# Example commands to update IBM Data Risk Manager container
docker pull ibm/data-risk-manager:latest
docker stop idrm-container
docker run -d --name idrm-container-new -p 443:443 ibm/data-risk-manager:latest2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
If immediate patching is not feasible, configure a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or reverse proxy to block directory traversal patterns. Below is an example Nginx configuration to block traversal attempts:
# Nginx configuration to block directory traversal attempts
server {
listen 80;
server_name idrm.local;
location / {
if ($request_uri ~* '(\.\./|\.\.\\)') {
return 403 'Directory Traversal Attempt Detected';
}
proxy_pass http://idrm_backend;
}
}3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
Scan web server access logs for potential directory traversal exploitation attempts using the following command:
# Search access logs for '../' or URL-encoded '%2e%2e' patterns
grep -Ei '(\.\./|\.\.\\|%2e%2e)' /var/log/nginx/access.log /var/log/httpd/access_logBlock Exploits Instantly with Managed Virtual Patching Rules
Can't patch production immediately? Deploy managed WAF rules at the edge to intercept RCE, SQLi, and deserialization payloads before they hit your origin server.
Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics
1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause
This vulnerability (CVE-2020-4430) is a Directory Traversal (CWE-22) vulnerability in IBM Data Risk Manager. The root cause lies in the application's failure to properly sanitize and validate user-supplied input parameters representing file paths before using them in file system operations. This allows authenticated users to inject directory traversal sequences (e.g., '../') to escape the restricted web root directory.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
An authenticated remote attacker can identify endpoints responsible for file downloads and send a specially crafted HTTP GET request containing directory traversal sequences in the file path parameter. For example, requesting a path like 'filename=../../../../etc/passwd' bypasses access controls, forcing the application to retrieve and return sensitive system configuration files directly to the attacker.
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
This vulnerability is listed in the CISA KEV (Known Exploited Vulnerabilities) catalog, indicating active exploitation in the wild. Successful exploitation allows attackers to extract critical configuration files, database credentials, and application source code, which can be leveraged for secondary attacks such as privilege escalation, database compromise, or remote code execution.
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 traverse directories on the system. An attacker could send a specially-crafted URL request to download arbitrary files from the system. IBM X-Force ID: 180535.
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2020-4430)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2020-4430 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2020-4430 is rated CVSS 4.3 (MEDIUM) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 68.5%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2020-4430?
Primary impacted vendors include ibm across data risk manager. Scope summary: IBM Data Risk Manager 2.0.1, 2.0.2, 2.0.3, and 2.0.4
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2020-4430 before patching?
[Mitigation] Apply the official security patches provided by IBM to upgrade to a secure version. Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.
Generate an Internal Engineering Notice or CISO Report for CVE-2020-4430
Instantly format this advisory into an executive CISO summary or engineering patch ticket.
🔗 Related Advisories in Similar Stack (ibm)
View Category →IBM Langflow OSS Remote Code Execution (RCE) Vulnerability Advisory (CVE-2026-9198)
[Affected Scope] IBM Langflow OSS versions 1.0.0 through 1.10.0 in default deployments
Adobe ColdFusion Path Traversal Remote Code Execution Vulnerability Urgent Advisory (CVE-2026-48282)
[Affected Scope] Adobe ColdFusion versions 2025.9, 2023.20 and earlier
WebDyne Perl Framework Path Traversal and Remote Code Execution (RCE) Vulnerability Advisory (CVE-2026-78189)
[Affected Scope] Perl web applications utilizing WebDyne versions 3.007 through 3.021
Ahsay AhsayCBS Replication Receiver Remote Code Execution (RCE) Vulnerability Advisory (CVE-2026-105134)
[Affected Scope] AhsayCBS versions up to 9.15.2.69 and 10.3.4.44, specifically the Replication Receiver component
Subscribe to Daily Vulnerability Briefings & KEV Alerts
Concise morning briefings for SecOps, DevSecOps, and SRE teams covering newly exploited CVEs and mitigation priorities.