CVE-2014-0948 in Rational Software Architect Design Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in IBM Rational Software Architect Design Manager and Rational Rhapsody Design Manager 3.x and 4.x before 4.0.7 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary code via a crafted ZIP archive.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/26/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0948 represents a critical security flaw affecting IBM Rational Software Architect Design Manager and Rational Rhapsody Design Manager versions 3.x and 4.x prior to 4.0.7. This issue falls under the category of unspecified vulnerability types, indicating that the specific technical mechanism was not fully disclosed in the initial advisory. The vulnerability specifically targets the handling of ZIP archive files within these software applications, creating a potential code execution vector that could be exploited by remote authenticated attackers. The affected products are widely used in enterprise environments for software design and modeling activities, making this vulnerability particularly concerning from a cybersecurity perspective.
The technical flaw manifests in the insecure processing of compressed archive files, where the applications fail to properly validate or sanitize the contents of ZIP archives before extracting and processing their contents. This improper handling creates a path for malicious actors to craft specially designed ZIP files that, when processed by the vulnerable software, trigger arbitrary code execution on the target system. The vulnerability requires authentication to exploit, meaning that attackers must first establish valid credentials to access the affected applications, but once authenticated, they can leverage this flaw to execute malicious code with the privileges of the authenticated user. This behavior aligns with CWE-470, which addresses the use of insecure functions that can lead to code injection vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it can enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive development environments and potentially compromise the integrity of software design processes. Organizations using these Rational tools for critical software development projects face significant risk, as the exploitation could lead to data breaches, intellectual property theft, or disruption of development workflows. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not need physical access to the target systems, allowing for exploitation from anywhere on the network. This characteristic places the vulnerability in the ATT&CK framework under the technique of "Exploitation for Client Execution" and potentially "Command and Scripting Interpreter" as attackers could leverage the executed code to perform further malicious activities.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by upgrading to IBM Rational Software Architect Design Manager and Rational Rhapsody Design Manager version 4.0.7 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and access controls can help limit the potential impact of exploitation attempts. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual file processing activities within the affected applications, and regular vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar issues in other enterprise software components. The vulnerability underscores the importance of proper input validation and secure coding practices, particularly when handling untrusted data such as compressed archive files, and serves as a reminder of the critical need for timely security updates in enterprise software environments.