CVE-2013-2967 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 7.0.0.29, 8.0 before 8.0.0.7, and 8.5 before 8.5.5.0 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/17/2021
The CVE-2013-2967 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within IBM WebSphere Application Server administrative console components. This vulnerability affects multiple versions of the application server including 6.1 prior to 6.1.0.47, 7.0 prior to 7.0.0.29, 8.0 prior to 8.0.0.7, and 8.5 prior to 8.5.5.0, making it a widespread concern across IBM's enterprise application server portfolio. The vulnerability specifically targets the administrative console interface which serves as the primary management tool for configuring and monitoring web applications, rendering it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise the entire application server infrastructure.
The technical flaw stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the administrative console's web interface. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by injecting malicious scripts or HTML content through unspecified vectors that typically involve user-controllable parameters or input fields within the console's administrative functions. The vulnerability manifests when the application server fails to properly sanitize user inputs before rendering them in the console's web pages, creating an environment where malicious code can execute in the context of authenticated users' browsers. This weakness falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, where the application fails to properly validate or encode user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the browser of authenticated users who access the administrative console. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially escalate privileges, access sensitive administrative functions, steal session cookies, perform unauthorized configuration changes, or even redirect users to malicious websites. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it targets the administrative console which typically operates with elevated privileges and has access to critical system configurations, database connections, and application settings. This vulnerability creates a potential pathway for attackers to gain complete control over the application server environment and potentially compromise the entire underlying infrastructure.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including applying the relevant security patches released by IBM for each affected version. The remediation process involves upgrading to the patched versions 6.1.0.47, 7.0.0.29, 8.0.0.7, and 8.5.5.0 respectively, which contain proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. Additionally, network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to restrict direct access to the administrative console from untrusted networks. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious activities within the console interface, and regular security assessments should be conducted to identify potential exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving command and control communications and privilege escalation through web application exploitation, making it a critical concern for enterprise security teams managing IBM WebSphere environments.