CVE-2014-0883 in Power Hardware Management Console
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in IBM Power Hardware Management Console (HMC) 7R7.1.0, 7R7.2.0, 7R7.3.0 through 7R7.3.5, 7R7.7.0 through SP3, and 7R7.8.0 before SP1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the user name on the logon screen. IBM X-Force ID: 91163.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/29/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0883 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within IBM Power Hardware Management Console versions ranging from 7R7.1.0 through 7R7.8.0 before SP1. This security weakness specifically affects the authentication interface where user credentials are entered, creating an exploitable entry point for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code. The vulnerability resides in the logon screen's handling of username parameters, making it accessible to remote attackers without requiring authentication or physical access to the system infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the HMC's web interface. When users enter their username on the login page, the application fails to properly sanitize or escape special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This inadequate sanitization allows attackers to craft malicious payloads that persist in the application's response, which then executes in the context of other users' browsers when they access the affected interface. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as a failure to sanitize user input, specifically manifesting as a reflected cross-site scripting attack vector.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking, as it can enable attackers to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized access to sensitive system information. Remote attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute malicious scripts that may steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or even modify the behavior of the management console itself. Given that the HMC serves as the primary interface for managing IBM Power Systems hardware, successful exploitation could compromise entire server infrastructures, potentially leading to unauthorized system configuration changes, data exfiltration, or denial of service conditions. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of the HMC, indicating a widespread exposure across the product lifecycle.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant IBM security patches and service packs that address this vulnerability. Network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional layers of protection by filtering malicious payloads before they reach the vulnerable application. Input validation controls should be strengthened to ensure all user-supplied data undergoes proper sanitization before being processed or displayed. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as attackers can leverage the XSS to execute malicious code within user browsers. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar input validation weaknesses in other web applications within the enterprise environment, particularly those handling user authentication data.