CVE-2024-22317 Overview
IBM App Connect Enterprise contains a critical authentication vulnerability that allows remote attackers to bypass authentication controls through improper restriction of excessive authentication attempts (CWE-307). This weakness, commonly known as "Improper Restriction of Excessive Authentication Attempts," enables attackers to perform brute-force attacks against the application without adequate rate limiting or lockout mechanisms.
The vulnerability affects IBM App Connect Enterprise versions 11.0.0.1 through 11.0.0.24 and 12.0.1.0 through 12.0.11.0. Successful exploitation could result in unauthorized access to sensitive information or cause a denial of service condition, potentially disrupting critical enterprise integration workflows.
Critical Impact
This vulnerability enables remote attackers to obtain sensitive information or cause denial of service through unrestricted authentication attempts, affecting enterprise integration infrastructure.
Affected Products
- IBM App Connect Enterprise 11.0.0.1 through 11.0.0.24
- IBM App Connect Enterprise 12.0.1.0 through 12.0.11.0
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-01-18 - CVE-2024-22317 published to NVD
- 2024-11-21 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-22317
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability stems from inadequate controls on authentication attempts within IBM App Connect Enterprise. Without proper rate limiting or account lockout mechanisms, the application fails to defend against automated credential-guessing attacks. This weakness allows attackers to systematically attempt authentication with various credential combinations without being blocked or throttled.
The impact is twofold: attackers may successfully brute-force valid credentials to gain unauthorized access to sensitive enterprise data, or they may overwhelm the authentication subsystem causing service degradation or complete denial of service. Given that App Connect Enterprise serves as a critical middleware platform for enterprise application integration, exploitation could have cascading effects on connected business systems.
Root Cause
The root cause is classified as CWE-307: Improper Restriction of Excessive Authentication Attempts. The application lacks adequate mechanisms to:
- Track and limit the number of failed authentication attempts per user or IP address
- Implement progressive delays or temporary lockouts after repeated failures
- Alert administrators to potential brute-force attacks in progress
This allows attackers to submit unlimited authentication requests, enabling credential stuffing, password spraying, or traditional brute-force attacks without triggering defensive measures.
Attack Vector
The attack is network-accessible and requires no prior authentication or user interaction. An attacker can remotely target the IBM App Connect Enterprise authentication endpoints and submit repeated authentication requests. The low complexity of exploitation makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous in internet-facing deployments.
Attackers may leverage automated tools to rapidly cycle through password lists or credential databases obtained from previous breaches. The lack of rate limiting means these attacks can proceed at network speed, significantly increasing the probability of successful credential discovery or service disruption.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-22317
Indicators of Compromise
- High volume of failed authentication attempts from single or multiple source IP addresses
- Unusual patterns in authentication logs showing systematic credential testing
- Authentication requests occurring at machine-speed intervals (milliseconds between attempts)
- Service degradation or unavailability of IBM App Connect Enterprise authentication services
- Successful authentications following a pattern of failed attempts from suspicious sources
Detection Strategies
- Implement log analysis rules to detect anomalous authentication failure rates exceeding baseline thresholds
- Configure SIEM alerts for authentication attempts from IP addresses with no prior legitimate activity
- Monitor for credential stuffing patterns where multiple usernames are attempted from the same source
- Deploy network-based detection for rapid-fire HTTP requests to authentication endpoints
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable detailed authentication logging in IBM App Connect Enterprise if not already configured
- Establish baseline metrics for normal authentication failure rates to identify deviations
- Implement real-time alerting for authentication-related anomalies
- Consider deploying a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with brute-force protection capabilities
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-22317
Immediate Actions Required
- Review the IBM Support Node Information for specific patch and mitigation guidance
- Audit current IBM App Connect Enterprise deployments to identify affected versions
- Implement network-level rate limiting on authentication endpoints as an interim control
- Review authentication logs for signs of ongoing exploitation attempts
- Consider restricting network access to authentication interfaces to trusted IP ranges
Patch Information
IBM has released security updates to address this vulnerability. Organizations should apply the latest security fixes by upgrading to patched versions of IBM App Connect Enterprise. Detailed patch information and download links are available through the IBM X-Force Vulnerability Report and IBM Support Node Information.
For version 11.x deployments, upgrade to a version later than 11.0.0.24. For version 12.x deployments, upgrade to a version later than 12.0.11.0.
Workarounds
- Deploy a reverse proxy or WAF with rate limiting and brute-force protection in front of App Connect Enterprise
- Implement IP-based access controls to restrict authentication endpoints to trusted networks
- Enable multi-factor authentication where supported to reduce the impact of credential compromise
- Configure fail2ban or similar tools to automatically block IP addresses exhibiting attack patterns
- Consider implementing CAPTCHA challenges after a threshold of failed authentication attempts
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
