CVE-2024-22328: IBM Maximo Path Traversal Vulnerability

CVE-2024-22328 Overview

CVE-2024-22328 is a path traversal vulnerability affecting IBM Maximo Application Suite versions 8.10 and 8.11. A remote, unauthenticated attacker can send a crafted URL containing ../ sequences to read arbitrary files on the underlying system. The flaw is tracked under IBM X-Force ID 279950 and maps to [CWE-22] (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory). Because Maximo is commonly deployed to manage critical asset and operations data, exposure of server-side files can leak configuration secrets, credentials, and application source code that enable follow-on attacks.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated remote attackers can read arbitrary files from the Maximo Application Suite host, exposing configuration data, credentials, and other sensitive information.

Affected Products

IBM Maximo Application Suite 8.10
IBM Maximo Application Suite 8.11
Deployments exposing the Maximo web interface to untrusted networks

Discovery Timeline

2024-04-06 - CVE-2024-22328 published to NVD
2025-01-14 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-22328

Vulnerability Analysis

The issue is a classic directory traversal weakness in the Maximo Application Suite web tier. The application accepts user-supplied path components in URL requests without properly normalizing or validating them against an allowed base directory. By inserting ../ sequences, an attacker can escape the intended web root and reference files elsewhere on the file system.

The vulnerability requires no authentication, no user interaction, and can be triggered over the network. The impact is limited to confidentiality: the attacker can read files but cannot directly modify data or disrupt service through this flaw. Files frequently targeted in such attacks include application configuration files, database connection strings, private keys, and operating system files such as /etc/passwd on Linux hosts.

Root Cause

The root cause is insufficient input sanitization on path parameters passed to a file-serving handler in Maximo Application Suite. The handler resolves user input relative to a server directory but does not canonicalize the resulting path or verify that it remains within the expected base. This allows ../ traversal sequences to reach files outside the intended scope.

Attack Vector

Exploitation is performed by issuing an HTTP request to the Maximo web endpoint with a path parameter containing encoded or plain ../ segments. The attacker iterates traversal depth until reaching a known file location, then retrieves the contents in the HTTP response. No credentials, tokens, or prior session establishment are required, making the vulnerability accessible to any network-positioned adversary who can reach the application.

// No verified public proof-of-concept code is available for CVE-2024-22328.
// See the IBM advisory and X-Force entry for technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-22328

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP request logs containing ../, ..%2f, ..%5c, or double-encoded traversal sequences in URL paths or query strings targeting Maximo endpoints.
Web server access logs showing 200 responses to requests referencing sensitive files such as web.xml, application.properties, or /etc/passwd.
Unexpected outbound data volume from the Maximo host following anomalous URL patterns.

Detection Strategies

Deploy web application firewall (WAF) rules that flag and block path traversal patterns in requests to Maximo URIs.
Correlate access logs to identify a single source issuing repeated requests with varying traversal depths.
Hunt across SIEM data for HTTP requests to Maximo hosts where the URL contains traversal tokens combined with file extensions like .conf, .xml, .properties, or .pem.

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward Maximo web server and reverse-proxy logs to a centralized analytics platform for continuous review.
Alert on read access to sensitive files on Maximo hosts by the application service account outside normal operational patterns.
Track egress connections from Maximo servers to detect data exfiltration that may follow successful traversal.

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-22328

Immediate Actions Required

Apply the fix referenced in the IBM Support Node Advisory for Maximo Application Suite 8.10 and 8.11.
Restrict network exposure of Maximo Application Suite to trusted management networks or VPN-accessible segments until patched.
Review web server access logs for prior exploitation attempts containing traversal sequences.

Patch Information

IBM has published remediation guidance in the IBM Support Node Advisory. Administrators should upgrade affected Maximo Application Suite 8.10 and 8.11 deployments to the fixed release identified in that advisory. Additional technical context is available in the IBM X-Force Vulnerability #279950 entry.

Workarounds

Place a WAF or reverse proxy in front of Maximo with rules that reject requests containing ../, encoded variants, and null byte sequences in URL paths.
Rotate any credentials, API keys, or certificates stored in files that may have been exposed if exploitation is suspected.
Limit the file system permissions of the Maximo service account so that sensitive system files are not readable by the application process.

bash

# Example NGINX rule to block common path traversal patterns upstream of Maximo
location / {
    if ($request_uri ~* "(\.\./|\.\.%2f|\.\.%5c|%2e%2e/)") {
        return 403;
    }
    proxy_pass http://maximo_backend;
}