CVE-2013-6176 in Document Sciences xPression
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in EMC Document Sciences xPression 4.1 SP1 before Patch 47, 4.2 before Patch 26, and 4.5 before Patch 05, as used in Documentum Edition, Enterprise Edition Publish Engine, and Enterprise Edition Compuset Engine, allow remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary SQL commands via unspecified input to a (1) xAdmin or (2) xDashboard form.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/17/2024
The vulnerability CVE-2013-6176 represents a critical SQL injection flaw affecting EMC Document Sciences xPression versions 4.1 SP1 through 4.5, specifically impacting the Documentum Edition, Enterprise Edition Publish Engine, and Enterprise Edition Compuset Engine components. This vulnerability resides in the authentication and authorization mechanisms of the xPression platform, where improper input validation allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary SQL commands into the system's database layer. The flaw specifically manifests through xAdmin and xDashboard forms, which serve as administrative interfaces for managing and configuring the document processing workflows within the enterprise content management system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input within the web forms used for administrative operations. When authenticated users interact with the xAdmin or xDashboard interfaces, the application fails to properly escape or validate parameters before incorporating them into SQL queries executed against the backend database. This oversight creates a pathway for attackers to manipulate the SQL execution context and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive data or execute destructive commands. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires authentication, meaning that only users with valid credentials can exploit this flaw, though the impact remains severe due to the privileged access level.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-6176 extends beyond simple data theft, as it enables attackers to manipulate the entire document processing infrastructure. Successful exploitation could allow malicious actors to extract confidential information from the database, modify or delete critical documents, alter system configurations, or even escalate privileges within the enterprise content management environment. The vulnerability affects organizations using EMC Document Sciences xPression for document generation, workflow automation, and content management, potentially compromising sensitive business documents, intellectual property, and customer data. This represents a significant risk to enterprise security posture, particularly in regulated industries where document integrity and access control are paramount.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor patches released for versions 4.1 SP1 through 4.5, specifically Patch 47 for 4.1 SP1, Patch 26 for 4.2, and Patch 05 for 4.5. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit access to the xAdmin and xDashboard interfaces to only authorized personnel. Input validation should be enhanced through parameterized queries and proper escaping mechanisms, aligning with CWE-89 standards for SQL injection prevention. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol manipulation and T1566 for credential access through application vulnerabilities, highlighting the need for comprehensive security monitoring and incident response procedures to detect potential exploitation attempts.