CVE-2012-3326 in Maximo Asset Management
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in IBM Maximo Asset Management 7.5, as used in SmartCloud Control Desk, Tivoli Asset Management for IT, Tivoli Service Request Manager, Maximo Service Desk, and Change and Configuration Management Database (CCMDB), allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/07/2017
The CVE-2012-3326 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting multiple IBM Maximo-based enterprise asset management platforms including SmartCloud Control Desk, Tivoli Asset Management for IT, Tivoli Service Request Manager, Maximo Service Desk, and Change and Configuration Management Database. This vulnerability resides within the web application layer of these systems, which are widely deployed across enterprise environments for managing critical IT assets and service requests. The affected products share common web interfaces that process user input through unspecified vectors, creating potential attack pathways that could compromise the integrity and confidentiality of sensitive enterprise data.
The technical flaw manifests as an insufficient input validation mechanism within the web application's processing pipeline. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by injecting malicious script code through unspecified input vectors that are not properly sanitized or encoded before being rendered in web pages. The vulnerability operates at the application layer, specifically targeting the web interface components that handle user-supplied data, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where these systems process sensitive operational data, user credentials, and business-critical information. This XSS vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which categorizes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, representing a fundamental weakness in web application security design.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with the capability to execute malicious code within the context of authenticated user sessions. An attacker could potentially hijack user sessions, redirect users to malicious websites, steal sensitive information, or even escalate privileges within the affected systems. In enterprise environments where Maximo platforms manage critical IT assets and service requests, this vulnerability could enable unauthorized access to confidential business data, disruption of service management processes, and potential compromise of entire IT infrastructure operations. The widespread deployment of these systems across multiple organizations amplifies the potential impact, as a single exploited vulnerability could affect numerous enterprises simultaneously.
Organizations should implement comprehensive mitigation strategies including immediate deployment of vendor-provided security patches, enhanced input validation mechanisms, and regular security assessments of web applications. The mitigation approach should align with industry best practices outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks, focusing on defense-in-depth strategies that include web application firewalls, content security policies, and regular security training for administrators. Additionally, implementing proper output encoding and input sanitization techniques can significantly reduce the attack surface, while monitoring and logging mechanisms should be enhanced to detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations must also consider the broader implications of this vulnerability within their overall security posture, as it highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security controls and the potential risks associated with legacy enterprise systems that may not receive regular security updates.