CVE-2012-0740 in Tivoli Directory Server
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Web Admin Tool in IBM Tivoli Directory Server (TDS) 6.2 before 6.2.0.22 and 6.3 before 6.3.0.11 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/22/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0740 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within IBM Tivoli Directory Server's Web Admin Tool component. This security weakness affects versions 6.2 prior to 6.2.0.22 and 6.3 prior to 6.3.0.11, creating a persistent threat vector that enables remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of authenticated user sessions. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the web administration interface, which fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it in web responses. This particular flaw falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically representing a stored XSS variant where malicious payloads can be persistently injected and executed against unsuspecting users. The impact extends beyond simple script execution as it compromises the integrity of the web administration environment, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges, steal session cookies, or perform unauthorized administrative actions within the directory server infrastructure.
The operational implications of this vulnerability are substantial for organizations relying on IBM Tivoli Directory Server for identity management and directory services. Attackers exploiting this weakness can manipulate the web interface to inject malicious scripts that execute in the browsers of authenticated users, potentially leading to complete compromise of the administrative environment. The unspecified attack vectors suggest that multiple input points within the Web Admin Tool may be susceptible to injection attacks, including form fields, URL parameters, or API endpoints that process user input. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1566.001 for Phishing, as it enables attackers to deliver malicious payloads through web-based attack vectors. The persistence of the vulnerability across multiple minor versions indicates a fundamental flaw in the input sanitization process that was not adequately addressed through patch releases, leaving organizations exposed for extended periods.
Organizations affected by CVE-2012-0740 must implement immediate mitigation strategies to protect their directory server infrastructure. The primary recommendation involves applying the vendor-provided patches and updates released for IBM Tivoli Directory Server versions 6.2.0.22 and 6.3.0.11, which contain the necessary fixes for the XSS vulnerability. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit exposure of the Web Admin Tool to trusted administrative networks only, reducing the attack surface available to potential remote adversaries. Input validation mechanisms should be enhanced through the implementation of comprehensive sanitization routines that filter or encode potentially malicious content before processing user input. Security monitoring should be implemented to detect anomalous behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, particularly focusing on unusual requests to the web administration interface. Additionally, user education and awareness programs should emphasize the importance of not clicking on suspicious links or entering credentials on untrusted websites, as the vulnerability could enable attackers to create convincing phishing pages that appear legitimate within the directory server environment. The remediation process must also include thorough testing of patches in non-production environments to ensure compatibility with existing directory services configurations and avoid service disruptions during the update process.