CVE-2010-0704 in WebSphere Portal
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Portlet Palette in IBM WebSphere Portal 6.0.1.5 wp6015_008_01 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the search field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/01/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-0704 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within IBM WebSphere Portal 6.0.1.5, specifically affecting the Portlet Palette component. This security weakness resides in the web application's handling of user input through the search field functionality, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute unauthorized scripts within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability manifests when the portal processes search queries without proper sanitization of input parameters, allowing attackers to inject malicious code that persists and executes in the victim's browser environment.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Portlet Palette module. When users submit search terms through the affected interface, the application fails to adequately sanitize or escape special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This inadequate sanitization process creates a persistent vector where attacker-controlled payloads can be stored and subsequently executed whenever other users interact with the vulnerable search functionality. The vulnerability specifically impacts the wp6015_008_01 patch level of IBM WebSphere Portal 6.0.1.5, indicating that this was a targeted issue within a specific release version that required patching to address the security gap.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling attackers to perform session hijacking, deface web portals, steal sensitive user information, or redirect victims to malicious websites. An attacker could craft a search query containing malicious JavaScript that executes in the browser of any user who views the search results or interacts with the affected portlet. This capability compromises the integrity of the portal's user interface and can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, particularly in enterprise environments where WebSphere Portal serves as a central collaboration platform. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require local system access or authentication to leverage the flaw, making it particularly dangerous in publicly accessible portal environments.
Organizations affected by CVE-2010-0704 should implement immediate mitigations including applying the official IBM security patches and hotfixes designed to address this specific vulnerability. The recommended approach involves proper input validation and output encoding of all user-supplied data within the Portlet Palette search functionality, ensuring that special characters are properly escaped before rendering in the browser context. Security teams should also consider implementing content security policies to limit script execution and employ web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting weaknesses, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script injection attacks, emphasizing the need for comprehensive defensive measures including regular security assessments and input validation controls to prevent exploitation of such persistent web application vulnerabilities.