CVE-2011-1390 in Rational ClearQuest
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in the Maintenance tool in IBM Rational ClearQuest 7.1.1.x before 7.1.1.9, 7.1.2.x before 7.1.2.6, and 8.x before 8.0.0.2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands by leveraging an error in the user-database upgrade feature.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/01/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-1390 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within IBM Rational ClearQuest's Maintenance tool component. This security weakness specifically affects versions 7.1.1.x prior to 7.1.1.9, 7.1.2.x prior to 7.1.2.6, and 8.x prior to 8.0.0.2, creating a significant risk for organizations utilizing these software versions. The vulnerability manifests through an error in the user-database upgrade feature, which inadvertently allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary SQL commands into the system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the Maintenance tool's database upgrade functionality. When the system processes user-supplied data during the upgrade process, it fails to properly sanitize or escape special characters that could be interpreted as SQL syntax. This flaw directly maps to CWE-89, which categorizes SQL injection vulnerabilities as a result of insufficient input validation and improper escaping of special characters. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it operates over remote network connections, enabling attackers to exploit the vulnerability without requiring local system access or elevated privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with the capability to execute arbitrary SQL commands against the underlying database. This could result in complete database compromise, including unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion. Organizations utilizing affected ClearQuest versions face potential exposure to sensitive configuration data, user credentials, and business-critical information stored within the database. The remote execution capability means that attackers can leverage this vulnerability from any network location, making it particularly dangerous for enterprises with exposed network services or those that do not adequately segment their database infrastructure.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with several techniques documented in the ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to credential access and privilege escalation through database exploitation. Attackers could potentially use this vulnerability to escalate privileges within the database environment, or to extract sensitive information that could be used for further attacks. The maintenance tool context suggests that organizations might be less vigilant about securing this functionality, as it is typically used for administrative purposes and may not be subject to the same security controls as primary application interfaces. Organizations should implement comprehensive network segmentation to isolate database systems and maintain strict access controls over administrative tools. The recommended mitigation involves upgrading to the patched versions of IBM Rational ClearQuest as specified in the vendor advisories, while also implementing database activity monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should review their database configurations to ensure that the maintenance tool functionality is properly restricted and that appropriate network access controls are in place to prevent unauthorized access to the database upgrade features.