CVE-2013-0549 in WebSphere Portal
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Web Content Manager - Web Content Viewer Portlet in the server in IBM WebSphere Portal 7.0.0.x through 7.0.0.2 CF22 and 8.0.0.x through 8.0.0.1 CF5, when the IBM Portlet API is used, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/14/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-0549 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within IBM WebSphere Portal's Web Content Manager component, specifically affecting the Web Content Viewer Portlet functionality. This weakness exists in IBM WebSphere Portal versions 7.0.0.x through 7.0.0.2 CF22 and 8.0.0.x through 8.0.0.1 CF5, where the vulnerability manifests when the IBM Portlet API is utilized. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it within web pages, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute unauthorized scripts against unsuspecting users.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of URLs that contain crafted payloads designed to inject malicious HTML or JavaScript code into the portal's web content viewer. When a victim accesses a specially crafted URL containing malicious script content, the vulnerable portal application fails to adequately escape or filter the input before displaying it within the web page context. This allows attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts that execute within the victim's browser session, potentially compromising the user's authentication context and enabling various malicious activities. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as a failure to sanitize input, specifically manifesting as a cross-site scripting weakness in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can be leveraged to perform session hijacking, data theft, and privilege escalation attacks within the portal environment. Attackers can exploit this weakness to steal user cookies, access sensitive content, or redirect users to malicious websites, potentially leading to complete compromise of user sessions and unauthorized access to corporate portals. The vulnerability affects organizations using IBM WebSphere Portal in enterprise environments where users may inadvertently click on malicious links, making it particularly dangerous in corporate settings where portal systems serve as central access points for business applications and sensitive information.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through official IBM security patches and updates, as the flaw enables remote code execution capabilities when combined with other exploitation techniques. The mitigation strategy should include implementing proper input validation mechanisms, output encoding, and content security policies to prevent unauthorized script injection. Additionally, organizations should consider network-level protections such as web application firewalls and regular security assessments to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which describes the use of malicious links and payloads to gain initial access, and T1059 which covers the execution of malicious code through web-based attack vectors, making comprehensive defensive measures essential for protecting against exploitation.