CVE-2007-3265 in WebSphere Application Server
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Samples component in IBM WebSphere Application Server (WAS) 6.1.0.7 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/08/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-3265 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within IBM WebSphere Application Server version 6.1.0.7 and earlier releases. This security weakness resides in the Samples component of the application server, which serves as a demonstration and testing framework for developers working with the platform. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before it is rendered in web responses. The unspecified vectors indicate that attackers can exploit this weakness through multiple entry points within the samples functionality, potentially targeting various parameters or input fields that are processed by the server-side components.
The technical exploitation of this XSS vulnerability enables remote attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML code into web pages viewed by other users. When legitimate users access web pages that contain the injected malicious code, the script executes in their browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of the victim. The impact extends beyond simple script execution as the vulnerability can be leveraged to create persistent attacks that modify the behavior of web applications or redirect users to malicious sites. The weakness specifically affects the Samples component, which is typically used for demonstration purposes but can become a security risk when deployed in production environments.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations utilizing IBM WebSphere Application Server in their enterprise infrastructure. The attack surface is particularly concerning because the samples component is often enabled by default in development and testing environments, making it accessible to external attackers. The vulnerability can be exploited without requiring authentication, allowing attackers to compromise user sessions and potentially gain access to sensitive application data or functionality. Security professionals must consider that this flaw can be combined with other vulnerabilities to create more sophisticated attack scenarios, particularly when the application server is part of a larger ecosystem where additional components might be vulnerable to similar weaknesses.
Organizations should implement comprehensive mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability effectively. The primary recommendation involves upgrading to IBM WebSphere Application Server version 6.1.0.8 or later, which includes patches specifically designed to resolve the XSS issues in the samples component. Additionally, administrators should disable or remove the samples component from production environments where it is not strictly required for development purposes. Input validation and output encoding mechanisms should be strengthened across all web applications hosted on the platform, ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly sanitized before being processed or displayed. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious script injection attempts, and regular security assessments should verify that no other components within the application server are susceptible to similar cross-site scripting vulnerabilities. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a technique commonly categorized under ATT&CK tactic TA0001 (Initial Access) and technique T1059.001 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) when attackers leverage the vulnerability to execute malicious scripts in victim browsers.