CVE-2013-0458 in WebSphere Application Server
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Administrative console in IBM WebSphere Application Server (WAS) 6.1 before 6.1.0.47, 7.0 before 7.0.0.27, 8.0 before 8.0.0.6, and 8.5 before 8.5.0.2, when login security is disabled, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/04/2021
The CVE-2013-0458 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in IBM WebSphere Application Server administrative console components. This vulnerability specifically affects multiple versions of IBM WebSphere Application Server including 6.1 before 6.1.0.47, 7.0 before 7.0.0.27, 8.0 before 8.0.0.6, and 8.5 before 8.5.0.2. The flaw exists within the administrative console interface and becomes exploitable when login security mechanisms are disabled, creating a dangerous attack surface for remote adversaries. The vulnerability's classification as CWE-79 indicates a failure to properly sanitize user input, allowing malicious scripts to be executed within the context of the victim's browser session. This represents a fundamental breakdown in input validation and output encoding practices that are essential for preventing XSS attacks in web applications.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through unspecified vectors that typically involve injection of malicious script code into administrative console interfaces. When login security is disabled, the administrative console becomes accessible to unauthorized users without proper authentication mechanisms, significantly increasing the attack surface. Attackers can leverage this weakness to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content that executes in the browser context of legitimate users who access the administrative interface. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe because it targets the administrative console, which typically has elevated privileges and access to sensitive system configurations. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.001 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell) and T1566 (Phishing) as attackers can use the injected scripts to harvest credentials or redirect users to malicious sites. The flaw essentially allows attackers to establish persistent access to administrative functions and potentially escalate privileges within the application server environment.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-0458 extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with potential access to critical system management functions. When login security is disabled, the administrative console becomes a primary target for malicious actors seeking to compromise the entire application server infrastructure. The vulnerability enables attackers to execute scripts that can manipulate server configurations, access sensitive data, and potentially establish backdoors for persistent access. Organizations running affected WebSphere versions without proper security controls face significant risk of unauthorized access to their application server environments. The attack vector becomes particularly dangerous in environments where administrative consoles are exposed to untrusted networks or where default configurations are not properly secured. This vulnerability directly violates security principles outlined in NIST SP 800-53 and OWASP Top Ten, specifically addressing the need for input validation and secure configuration management. The combination of administrative access with disabled security controls creates a perfect storm for attackers to gain unauthorized system privileges.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-0458 require immediate implementation of security controls to prevent exploitation. Organizations must ensure that login security mechanisms are enabled and properly configured on all WebSphere Application Server instances. The most effective immediate fix involves applying the relevant IBM security patches and updates to bring affected versions up to the supported release levels. System administrators should also implement network segmentation to restrict access to administrative consoles to authorized personnel only, and employ proper access control lists to limit exposure. Additional protective measures include implementing web application firewalls to monitor and filter malicious requests, enabling secure configuration settings that enforce authentication requirements, and conducting regular security assessments to identify improperly configured administrative interfaces. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and following secure configuration guidelines as outlined in IBM security advisories and industry best practices for application server hardening. Organizations should also implement monitoring solutions to detect suspicious access patterns to administrative interfaces and establish incident response procedures for potential exploitation attempts.