CVE-2007-4592 in Rational ClearQuest
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in the web interface for IBM Rational ClearQuest before 2003.06.16 Patch 2008A, 7.0.0.2_iFix01, and 7.0.1.1_iFix01 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) contextid, (2) username, (3) userNameVal, and (4) schema parameters to the login component.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/03/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-4592 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness in IBM Rational ClearQuest web interface components that existed prior to specific patch releases. This flaw resides within the authentication and login handling mechanisms of the software, specifically affecting versions before 2003.06.16 Patch 2008A, 7.0.0.2_iFix01, and 7.0.1.1_iFix01. The vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-79 which defines cross-site scripting as a code injection attack that enables attackers to execute scripts in the victim's browser context, making it a fundamental security concern in web applications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through four specific parameters within the login component of ClearQuest's web interface: contextid, username, userNameVal, and schema. These parameters serve as entry points where unvalidated user input is directly incorporated into the web response without proper sanitization or encoding. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious payloads containing HTML or JavaScript code and submitting them through these vulnerable parameters during the authentication process. The flaw demonstrates a classic lack of input validation and output encoding that allows malicious code to persist in the application's response and execute when other users view the affected pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with a foothold for more sophisticated attacks within the target environment. Remote attackers can leverage these XSS vulnerabilities to hijack user sessions, steal authentication credentials, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it targets the login component, meaning that successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to the entire ClearQuest database and its associated enterprise resources. This vulnerability effectively undermines the security of the authentication system and can compromise the integrity of the entire software configuration management environment.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement the recommended patches from IBM, specifically the 2003.06.16 Patch 2008A for older versions and the respective iFix releases for 7.0.0.2 and 7.0.1.1 versions. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms should be considered as defensive measures, particularly for any legacy systems that cannot be immediately patched. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing secure coding practices that prevent the injection of untrusted data into web responses. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1566.001 (Phishing) and T1059.007 (Scripting) techniques, as attackers can use the XSS to deliver malicious payloads and execute code within user browsers.