CVE-2014-4762 in WebSphere Portal
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in IBM WebSphere Portal 8.0.0 through 8.0.0.1 CF13 and 8.5.0 before CF02 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted URL.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/29/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-4762 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within IBM WebSphere Portal versions 8.0.0 through 8.0.0.1 CF13 and 8.5.0 before CF02. This security weakness resides in the portal's handling of user-supplied input within URL parameters, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of authenticated user sessions. The vulnerability specifically affects environments where IBM WebSphere Portal is deployed with the mentioned versions, making it a significant concern for organizations utilizing this enterprise portal platform.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of URL parameters that are not properly sanitized or validated by the WebSphere Portal application. When authenticated users navigate to a crafted URL containing malicious script payloads, the portal fails to adequately filter or escape the input before rendering it within the web page context. This allows attackers to inject HTML or JavaScript code that executes in the victim's browser, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or further exploitation of the authenticated session. The vulnerability is classified as authenticated XSS since it requires users to be logged into the portal, but once exploited, the malicious code can operate within the privileges of the authenticated user.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-4762 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform sophisticated attacks such as credential theft, session manipulation, and privilege escalation within the portal environment. Given that WebSphere Portal typically serves as a central hub for enterprise applications and services, successful exploitation could compromise sensitive business data and user information. The vulnerability's presence in multiple versions of the software means that organizations maintaining these specific releases face ongoing risk, particularly in environments where portal users have administrative privileges or access to sensitive data repositories. Security professionals must consider this vulnerability as part of broader attack surface assessments for WebSphere Portal implementations.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant IBM security patches and updates that address this XSS vulnerability. Input validation and output encoding mechanisms should be strengthened throughout the portal's URL handling processes, ensuring that all user-supplied parameters undergo proper sanitization before being processed or displayed. Network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a technique commonly catalogued in ATT&CK framework under T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566 for credential access. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar input validation weaknesses within the portal's broader codebase, ensuring comprehensive protection against similar vulnerabilities that could compromise enterprise web applications.