CVE-2011-1205 in Rational Clearquest
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple buffer overflows in unspecified COM objects in Rational Common Licensing 7.0 through 7.1.1.4 in IBM Rational ClearCase 7.0.0.4 through 7.1.1.4, ClearQuest 7.0.0.4 through 7.1.1.4, and other products allow local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse HTML document in the My Computer zone.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/01/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-1205 represents a critical security flaw affecting IBM Rational Common Licensing components across multiple software products including ClearCase and ClearQuest. This issue stems from multiple buffer overflows present in unspecified COM objects within the Rational Common Licensing 7.0 through 7.1.1.4 versions. The vulnerability specifically impacts IBM Rational ClearCase versions 7.0.0.4 through 7.1.1.4 and ClearQuest versions 7.0.0.4 through 7.1.1.4, creating a significant attack surface for malicious actors targeting these enterprise software solutions. The flaw manifests when local users exploit a Trojan horse HTML document that resides within the My Computer zone, enabling privilege escalation through carefully crafted malicious content.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves buffer overflow conditions within COM objects that handle licensing operations, allowing attackers to manipulate memory structures through malformed input. These buffer overflows occur in the Rational Common Licensing component which manages software licensing validation and enforcement across IBM Rational products. The attack vector specifically leverages the My Computer zone security context where HTML documents are executed with elevated privileges, bypassing standard security boundaries that would normally prevent such malicious code execution. This particular exploitation method aligns with common attack patterns documented in the ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation techniques, specifically targeting application-level vulnerabilities that can be triggered through user interaction.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-1205 extends beyond simple local privilege escalation to potentially enable full system compromise when exploited in targeted environments. The vulnerability affects enterprise software installations where Rational products are deployed, creating risks for organizations that rely on these licensing mechanisms for software management and compliance. Local users with minimal privileges can leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary code with elevated permissions, potentially allowing them to access sensitive system resources, modify licensing configurations, or establish persistent access points within the targeted environment. The widespread nature of affected products means that organizations deploying multiple Rational tools would face similar exposure, increasing the potential attack surface for adversaries.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including applying the relevant IBM security patches and updates that address the buffer overflow conditions in the affected COM objects. System administrators should also consider implementing security policies that restrict execution of HTML content from the My Computer zone and employ additional security controls such as application whitelisting to prevent exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices in COM-based applications and highlights the need for comprehensive input validation and memory management controls. Organizations should also conduct vulnerability assessments to identify potentially affected systems and implement monitoring for suspicious activities that might indicate exploitation attempts, as the vulnerability could be leveraged in advanced persistent threat scenarios targeting enterprise software infrastructure. This flaw represents a classic example of how seemingly minor implementation issues in licensing components can create significant security risks when combined with user interaction vectors and privilege escalation opportunities.