CVE-2008-3161 in Maximo
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in jsp/common/system/debug.jsp in IBM Maximo 4.1 and 5.2 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) Accept, (2) Accept-Language, (3) UA-CPU, (4) Accept-Encoding, (5) User-Agent, or (6) Cookie HTTP header. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained solely from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/17/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-3161 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in IBM Maximo 4.1 and 5.2 systems, specifically within the jsp/common/system/debug.jsp component. This vulnerability exposes the application to remote code execution risks through HTTP header manipulation, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise asset management environments where sensitive operational data is processed. The flaw resides in the application's improper sanitization of user-supplied input originating from standard HTTP headers that are automatically transmitted by web browsers and servers during HTTP communication.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly validate and sanitize HTTP headers before incorporating them into debug output or response content. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious HTTP requests containing specially formatted payloads within the specified headers including Accept, Accept-Language, UA-CPU, Accept-Encoding, User-Agent, and Cookie fields. When the application processes these headers without adequate input filtering, the malicious content gets embedded into the debug output, creating persistent XSS vectors that can execute arbitrary scripts in the context of authenticated users' browsers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user credentials, manipulate application data, and potentially escalate privileges within the Maximo environment. Given that Maximo is typically used for enterprise asset management and maintenance operations, successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to critical infrastructure data, disruption of maintenance scheduling, and compromise of operational technology systems. The vulnerability affects both versions 4.1 and 5.2, indicating it was present across multiple iterations of the application and likely represents a fundamental design flaw in the input validation mechanisms.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and demonstrates how improper input handling can create persistent security weaknesses. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a web application vulnerability that could enable initial access and privilege escalation through client-side exploitation techniques. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and output encoding for all HTTP headers, deployment of web application firewalls, and comprehensive security testing of all application components. The lack of verified information sources regarding this vulnerability's origin underscores the importance of maintaining robust security practices and proactive vulnerability assessment protocols to identify and remediate similar weaknesses before they can be exploited in production environments.