CVE-2011-2680 in Rational DOORS Web Access
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in IBM Rational DOORS Web Access 1.4.x before 1.4.0.4 has unknown impact and remote attack vectors related to the "server error response."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/17/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2680 affects IBM Rational DOORS Web Access version 1.4.x prior to 1.4.0.4, representing a server-side issue that could potentially be exploited through remote attack vectors. This unspecified vulnerability resides within the server error response mechanism of the web access component, suggesting a fundamental flaw in how the system handles error conditions and communicates with remote clients. The lack of specific details in the initial description indicates that the vulnerability may involve improper error handling or response formatting that could reveal sensitive information or create opportunities for further exploitation. The affected version range implies this was a relatively recent release that had not yet received the necessary security patches to address this particular weakness in the server response handling.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under the category of improper error handling, which can be classified as a CWE-200 weakness related to exposure of sensitive information through error messages. When a server fails to properly sanitize or control its error responses, it may inadvertently expose internal system details, configuration information, or other sensitive data that could aid attackers in understanding the system architecture and identifying potential attack vectors. In the context of IBM Rational DOORS Web Access, this could involve revealing database connection details, file paths, system configurations, or other internal implementation specifics that would normally be hidden from external users. The remote attack vector suggests that an unauthenticated attacker could potentially leverage this vulnerability without requiring any prior access credentials or privileged positions within the system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability could be significant for organizations relying on IBM Rational DOORS Web Access for requirements management and collaboration. If exploited, attackers could potentially gain insights into the underlying system infrastructure, which might enable them to plan more sophisticated attacks against the broader network environment. The vulnerability's classification as a server error response issue means that it likely affects the system's ability to maintain proper security boundaries when handling malformed requests or exceptional conditions. This could lead to information disclosure that might not directly compromise system integrity but could provide attackers with valuable reconnaissance data for subsequent exploitation attempts. Organizations using this version of DOORS Web Access would be particularly vulnerable if they had not yet applied the patch released in version 1.4.0.4.
Organizations should prioritize upgrading to IBM Rational DOORS Web Access version 1.4.0.4 or later to remediate this vulnerability, as the patch would contain the necessary fixes to address the server error response handling issues. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that the upgrade does not introduce any compatibility issues with existing workflows or integrations. Additionally, system administrators should review and monitor error logs for any unusual patterns that might indicate attempts to exploit this vulnerability, as well as implement proper access controls and network segmentation to limit the potential impact of any successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which involves local privilege escalation and remote code execution, though in this case the primary concern is information disclosure rather than direct system compromise, making it a critical issue for security posture management and compliance requirements.