CVE-2013-4045 in SPSS Collaboration
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Portal application in IBM SPSS Collaboration and Deployment Services 4.2.1 before 4.2.1.3 IF3 and 5.0 before FP3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/20/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-4045 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within IBM SPSS Collaboration and Deployment Services portal application. This security weakness affects versions 4.2.1 prior to 4.2.1.3 IF3 and 5.0 prior to FP3, creating a significant risk for organizations utilizing these specific software versions. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected users' browsers, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data or system compromise.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the portal application's handling of user-supplied data. Attackers can exploit unspecified vectors to inject malicious payloads that persist in the application's data storage or processing mechanisms. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws where untrusted data is improperly sanitized before being rendered in web pages. The vulnerability's classification as a remote attack vector means that malicious actors can exploit it without requiring physical access to the system or prior authentication.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-4045 extends beyond simple data theft or defacement. Organizations running affected versions face potential session hijacking, where attackers can steal user credentials and maintain persistent access to the system. The vulnerability also enables more sophisticated attacks such as phishing attempts, where malicious scripts can redirect users to fraudulent websites or harvest sensitive information from legitimate sessions. Additionally, the presence of this vulnerability could facilitate privilege escalation attacks if the portal application handles administrative functions or provides access to sensitive system resources.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 which covers command and scripting interpreter usage, and T1566 which addresses phishing attacks. The attack surface is particularly concerning for organizations that rely on SPSS Collaboration and Deployment Services for data analysis and reporting, as these systems often contain sensitive business intelligence and research data. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple minor versions indicates a fundamental flaw in the input sanitization processes that requires immediate remediation.
Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems to address this vulnerability. The recommended mitigation strategy involves upgrading to IBM SPSS Collaboration and Deployment Services versions 4.2.1.3 IF3 or 5.0 FP3, which contain the necessary security fixes. Additionally, implementing proper input validation mechanisms and output encoding for all user-supplied data can provide defense-in-depth protection. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect potential exploitation attempts, and regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications within the organization's infrastructure.