CVE-2011-2679 in Rational DOORS Web Access
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in IBM Rational DOORS Web Access 1.4.x before 1.4.0.4 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/24/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2679 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within IBM Rational DOORS Web Access version 1.4.x prior to 1.4.0.4. This issue falls under the category of CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which specifically addresses the failure to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into web page content. The vulnerability enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of the affected application, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity.
The technical exploitation of this XSS vulnerability occurs through unspecified vectors within the web access interface of IBM Rational DOORS, a requirements management and traceability tool widely used in software development environments. Attackers can inject arbitrary web script or HTML code that gets executed when other users view the affected web pages. This injection typically occurs when user-supplied data is not properly validated or escaped before being rendered in web interfaces, allowing malicious payloads to persist and execute in the browsers of unsuspecting users. The vulnerability specifically affects the web access component rather than the desktop application, making it particularly dangerous in collaborative environments where multiple users interact through web interfaces.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive information, manipulate data, or redirect users to malicious sites. In enterprise environments using IBM Rational DOORS Web Access, this vulnerability poses significant risks to intellectual property and development process integrity. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that DOORS Web Access is designed for collaborative requirements management, where users frequently input and view sensitive project data through web interfaces. The vulnerability could be exploited to gain unauthorized access to requirements documents, traceability matrices, and other critical project information that organizations rely upon for compliance and quality assurance purposes.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including applying the vendor-provided patch for IBM Rational DOORS Web Access 1.4.0.4 or later versions, which addresses the XSS vulnerability through proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. Network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional layers of protection by monitoring and filtering suspicious traffic patterns. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of all web-based applications and ensure that input sanitization processes are implemented across all user-facing interfaces. The remediation efforts should align with industry best practices such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten Project and NIST Cybersecurity Framework, which emphasize the importance of secure coding practices and regular security updates. Organizations utilizing this technology should also consider implementing content security policies and regular security training for users to recognize potential phishing attempts that might exploit similar vulnerabilities.