Cyber Resilience

CVE-2023-43045

Auth Bypass in Ibm Sterling Partner Engagement Manager 6.1.2 … 6.2.2

Published
23 October 2023
Modified
21 November 2024
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 5.9
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
EPSS Score 0.0073 50th percentile
Risk Priority 35 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2023-43045 is a medium-severity Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel (CWE-288) vulnerability in Ibm Sterling Partner Engagement Manager. Its CVSS base score is 5.9 (Medium).

Operationally, ranked in the top 50% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

IBM Sterling Partner Engagement Manager 6.1.2, 6.2.0, and 6.2.2 could allow a remote user to perform unauthorized actions due to improper authentication. IBM X-Force ID: 266896.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2025-14811Same product: Ibm Sterling Partner Engagement Manager
CVE-2025-33093Same product: Ibm Sterling Partner Engagement Manager
CVE-2023-38722Same product: Ibm Sterling Partner Engagement Manager
CVE-2024-31916Same vendor: Ibm
CVE-2024-35124Same vendor: Ibm
CVE-2025-0159Same vendor: Ibm
CVE-2024-35151Same vendor: Ibm
CVE-2024-45075Same vendor: Ibm
CVE-2024-54176Same vendor: Ibm
CVE-2025-1495Same vendor: Ibm

Affected Assets

ibm
sterling partner engagement manager
6.1.2, 6.2.0, 6.2.2

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 13 hardening rules · 4 OS baselines
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V6.4.3
  • V6.6.1
  • V12.1.3
  • V6.2.3

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

addresses: CWE-306 CWE-288

Mandates additional authentication for access under defined conditions, ensuring critical or high-risk functions are not left without authentication.

addresses: CWE-306 CWE-288

Identity providers mandate authentication for functions that would otherwise lack it.

addresses: CWE-306 CWE-288

Requires authentication for non-organizational users, preventing access to critical functions without proper identification and authentication.

addresses: CWE-306

Requires established identification and authentication to unlock, mitigating missing authentication for continued system access.

addresses: CWE-306

Requiring identification and rationale for actions allowed without authentication ensures critical functions are not left unprotected by forcing review of authentication requirements.

addresses: CWE-288

Authorizing remote access reduces the ability to bypass authentication via unauthorized alternate remote channels.

addresses: CWE-306

Authorizing mobile device connections to organizational systems ensures authentication is performed for this critical access function.

addresses: CWE-306

Guarantees critical functions are protected by mandatory invocation of the access control mechanism.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.AA-03 full match
prevents

Requiring authentication on every channel and path directly eliminates alternate-path bypasses.

PR.AA-05 mostly match
prevents

Enforcing authorizations and least privilege across all access vectors prevents unauthenticated alternate paths.

PR.IR-01 mostly match
prevents

Protecting networks and environments from unauthorized logical access blocks bypass via undocumented channels.

PR.AA-01 partial match
prevents

Managing identities and credentials is a prerequisite for authentication but does not itself enforce it on critical functions.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

prevents

The control explicitly calls for authentication before any critical function is reached, eliminating the possibility of bypassing authentication for high-value operations.

detects

Security testing can detect alternate-path bypasses but does not prevent them in production.

prevents

Access control policy directly addresses alternate authentication paths by requiring all channels to enforce authentication.

degrades

Authentication information management ensures credentials and mechanisms are consistently applied across all access paths.

prevents

Access rights provisioning and review prevent bypass via unmonitored or alternate channels.

prevents

Mandating authentication requirements for critical functions at the requirements-gathering stage ensures that essential operations are not left unprotected by missing login or verification mechanisms.

References