IBM Vulnerability Summary

Monitoring IBM software for vulnerabilities is essential to securing a network against exploitation. Although IBM software provides an alternative to commonly used applications and servers, these programs are just as vulnerable and can be exploited. Using data leveraged within Tenable Nessus, Tenable SecurityCenter will provide a comprehensive look at IBM software vulnerabilities within a network.

The IBM Vulnerability Summary report presents a high-level overview of vulnerabilities detected from IBM software and services deployed across the network. This report includes a summary of vulnerabilities detected on desktop applications, databases, collaboration suites, operating systems, and other IBM services. Analysts can discover systems that may be vulnerable to malicious attacks. Monitoring these applications and services can assist in reducing overall security risks with a network.

Data presented within this report uses the Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) filter to identify vulnerabilities within IBM-based software programs, operating systems, and services. According to NIST, the CPE is a structured naming scheme for information technology systems, software, and packages. Based upon the generic syntax for Uniform Resource Identifiers (URI), CPE includes a formal name format, a method for checking names against a system, and a description format for binding text and tests to a name. Tenable assigns CPEs to plugins where appropriate. This allows for analysts to search for common CPE prefixes such as “cpe:/a:ibm:db2,” “cpe:/a:ibm:lotus_domino,” and “cpe:/a:ibm:infosphere.” Associating CPE strings with vulnerabilities allow the analysts a greater view into separating operating system vulnerabilities from application vulnerabilities, and adds to the level of a vulnerability detail provided to the organization.

Using this report, information on existing IBM vulnerabilities will assist analysts with remediation efforts. An overview of vulnerabilities across IBM databases, applications, servers, and web services will provide detailed information on vulnerable hosts. Organizations will be presented with a summary of vulnerabilities detected over time, including exploitable vulnerabilities, which can aid security teams in prioritizing remediation efforts. Information presented within this report can be useful in understanding and mitigating potential threat vectors, as well as improving patch management efforts within the organization.

This report is available in the SecurityCenter Feed, a comprehensive collection of dashboards, reports, Assurance Report Cards, and assets. The Report can be easily located in the SecurityCenter Feed under the category Threat Detection & Vulnerability Assessments. The report requirements are:

• SecurityCenter 5.3.1
• Nessus 6.8.1
• PVS 5.1.0

Tenable SecurityCenter provides continuous network monitoring, vulnerability identification, and security monitoring. SecurityCenter is continuously updated with information about advanced threats and zero-day vulnerabilities, and new types of regulatory compliance configuration audit files. Tenable constantly analyzes information from our unique sensors, delivering continuous visibility and critical context, enabling decisive action that transforms your security program from reactive to proactive. Active scanning examines software applications on the systems, running processes and services, detection of vulnerable software applications, configuration settings, and additional vulnerabilities. With this information, analysts have greater insight to determine if supported and up-to-date updater software applications are operating within the organization. Tenable’s extensive network monitoring capabilities enables a powerful, yet non-disruptive, continuous monitoring of the organization to ensure the latest vulnerability information is provided to analysts.

The following chapters are included in this report:

• Executive Summary: The Executive Summary chapter provides a high-level overview of IBM detected vulnerabilities on a network. Vulnerabilities are tracked by severity, vendor, and time in order to provide a complete look at IBM software and services in use. IBM software and services can provide access to a wide variety of critical services within an organization. Using the elements within this report, analysts will be able to quickly identify, remediate, and reduce overall security risks.
• Vulnerability Status At A Glance: The Vulnerability Status at a Glance chapter provides insight into the specific IBM-based vulnerabilities detected on systems within the network. Each table included within this chapter provides lists of the IBM software vulnerabilities detected in the past 7 and 30 days. Each table presents the latest information on relevant vulnerabilities, including plugin, name, family, severity, and total count of vulnerabilities detected. Data presented within this chapter can be modified to include additional host information, and additional details on the detected vulnerability.
• Critical Vulnerability Information: The Criticals at a Glance chapter includes a list of the top critical IBM-based vulnerabilities detected in the environment. Vulnerabilities with a critical severity level are presented and filtered using IBM-based CPE strings, which will highlight vulnerabilities that present the highest level of risk to the organization. Each table is sorted by severity, and includes the plugin name and total number of hosts affected. Using elements within this chapter, security teams can use this element to identify and remediate the highest risk vulnerabilities in IBM software.
• Detailed Vulnerability Summary: The Detailed Vulnerability Summary chapter provides detailed information about IBM software vulnerabilities detected in the environment. Vulnerabilities are separated by category and filtered using IBM-based CPE strings, which will provide comprehensive view of the vulnerabilities impacting the network. Each element in this chapter provides detailed information about the vulnerabilities in IBM software that could impact critical systems and services within the organization.