CVE-2011-4708 in Rational Asset Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in IBM Rational Asset Manager before 7.5.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/04/2017
The CVE-2011-4708 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in IBM Rational Asset Manager versions prior to 7.5.1, classified under CWE-79 as improper neutralization of input during web page generation. This vulnerability exposes the application to remote code execution through malicious script injection attacks that can be delivered via web browser interfaces. The unspecified attack vectors indicate that the flaw exists across multiple input handling points within the asset management platform, potentially affecting user authentication, asset metadata processing, and administrative functions. The vulnerability's classification as a remote attack vector means that malicious actors can exploit this weakness without requiring physical access to the system or local network privileges.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the IBM Rational Asset Manager application. When users interact with the platform through web interfaces, the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages. This allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code, HTML content, or other script payloads that execute in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability impacts the platform's ability to maintain secure session management and user data integrity, as the injected scripts can potentially access session cookies, steal authentication tokens, or redirect users to malicious websites. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that IBM Rational Asset Manager serves as a centralized platform for managing software assets, making it a valuable target for threat actors seeking persistent access to development environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it creates opportunities for more sophisticated attacks within the development ecosystem. Attackers can leverage the XSS flaw to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive intellectual property information, or manipulate asset management workflows to compromise the integrity of software development processes. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely heavily on asset tracking and management within their development lifecycle, as compromised asset managers can provide attackers with access to critical software components, version control information, and development artifacts. The potential for privilege escalation exists when administrators or developers interact with the compromised system, as the injected scripts could leverage existing permissions to access restricted functionalities or modify asset configurations. Organizations using older versions of IBM Rational Asset Manager face significant risk exposure, especially in environments where multiple developers interact with the platform simultaneously.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-4708 should prioritize immediate patch deployment to IBM Rational Asset Manager 7.5.1 or later versions, which contain the necessary input validation and output encoding fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive web application firewall rules to detect and block suspicious script injection patterns, particularly targeting common XSS attack signatures. Input sanitization measures including HTML entity encoding, strict content type validation, and comprehensive parameter validation should be enforced at all user-facing interfaces. Network segmentation and access controls can help limit the potential impact of successful exploitation by restricting access to the asset management platform. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual script execution patterns and unauthorized access attempts to the platform. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments of their development environments and implement secure coding practices to prevent similar vulnerabilities in custom applications. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.007 for scripting and T1566.001 for spearphishing with links, highlighting the need for both technical and user awareness-based defenses. Regular vulnerability scanning and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in the broader software development infrastructure.