CVE-2014-0843 in Rational Focal Point
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in IBM Rational Focal Point 6.4.x and 6.5.x before 6.5.2.3 and 6.6.x before 6.6.1 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML by uploading a file.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/20/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0843 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within IBM Rational Focal Point versions 6.4.x through 6.5.x prior to 6.5.2.3 and 6.6.x prior to 6.6.1. This security weakness resides in the application's file upload handling mechanism, which fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before processing and storing uploaded files. The vulnerability operates under the Common Weakness Enumeration framework as CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without adequate sanitization or encoding measures. The flaw enables remote authenticated attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data or system compromise.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the file upload functionality of the Rational Focal Point application. When authenticated users upload files containing malicious script content, the system does not adequately filter or escape special characters that could be interpreted as executable code by web browsers. This allows attackers to embed javascript payloads or other malicious HTML content within uploaded files, which then get executed whenever other users view or interact with these files through the application interface. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only authenticated access to exploit, meaning that any user with valid credentials can potentially compromise the application's security posture.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-0843 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user information, or manipulate application data. Attackers can craft malicious files that, when viewed by other authenticated users, will execute scripts that can capture cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or even modify application functionality. This vulnerability particularly affects collaborative environments where users frequently upload and share documents, as the malicious payload can be embedded within seemingly benign files such as images, documents, or other media types that users might legitimately upload. The attack vector is further simplified by the fact that the vulnerability is present in the file upload functionality, which is a commonly used feature in collaborative development environments.
Organizations utilizing affected versions of IBM Rational Focal Point should immediately implement mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches and updates released after version 6.5.2.3 and 6.6.1. Additionally, administrators should implement network-level controls to monitor and restrict file upload activities, particularly for file types that could contain executable content. The mitigation strategy should also include enhanced input validation at multiple layers including client-side, server-side, and database-level filtering. From an enterprise security perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically focusing on script injection within web applications. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other web applications within the organization's attack surface, ensuring comprehensive protection against similar cross-site scripting threats that could compromise the broader enterprise environment.