CVE-2013-5459 in Rational Software Architect Design Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in IBM Rational Software Architect (RSA) Design Manager and Rational Rhapsody Design Manager 3.x through 3.0.1 and 4.x before 4.0.6 allows remote authenticated users to modify data by leveraging improper parameter checking.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/11/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-5459 affects IBM Rational Software Architect Design Manager and Rational Rhapsody Design Manager versions 3.x through 3.0.1 and 4.x before 4.0.6, representing a significant security flaw that enables remote authenticated attackers to manipulate system data. This issue stems from inadequate parameter validation mechanisms within the affected software components, creating an avenue for unauthorized data modification through legitimate authenticated sessions. The vulnerability manifests when the system fails to properly validate input parameters, allowing attackers with valid credentials to inject malicious data or alter existing records within the application's data management framework.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and specifically relates to weak parameter checking mechanisms that fail to adequately sanitize or validate user-supplied data before processing. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious requests that bypass normal validation controls, potentially leading to data integrity compromise, unauthorized modifications to design models, or manipulation of project data within the Rational Software Architecture environment. The authenticated nature of the attack requires an attacker to first obtain valid credentials, but once achieved, they can leverage this vulnerability to perform unauthorized data modifications without detection.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-5459 extends beyond simple data corruption, as it can compromise the integrity of software design models and architectural documentation that organizations rely upon for critical development processes. In enterprise environments where Rational Software Architect is used for large-scale software development projects, this vulnerability could result in significant business disruption, including compromised design specifications, altered project timelines, and potential security breaches that affect intellectual property. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation, as the attack leverages legitimate user credentials to perform unauthorized actions within the system.
Organizations utilizing affected versions of IBM Rational Software Architect and Rational Rhapsody Design Manager should prioritize immediate remediation through official IBM security patches and updates. The vulnerability requires proper input validation controls to be implemented, including comprehensive parameter sanitization, strict input filtering, and robust validation routines that ensure all user-supplied data conforms to expected formats and values. System administrators should also implement additional monitoring controls to detect anomalous data modification patterns and establish proper access controls to limit the scope of potential damage. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in related software components and ensure comprehensive protection against similar attack vectors.