CVE-2014-4763 in Filenet Content Foundation
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Content Navigator in Content Engine in IBM FileNet Content Manager 5.2.x before 5.2.0.3-P8CPE-IF003 and Content Foundation 5.2.x before 5.2.0.3-P8CPE-IF003 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/13/2018
The CVE-2014-4763 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within IBM FileNet Content Manager's Content Navigator component, specifically affecting versions 5.2.x prior to 5.2.0.3-P8CPE-IF003 and Content Foundation 5.2.x prior to the same patch level. This vulnerability resides in the Content Engine's Content Navigator interface, which serves as a web-based user interface for managing document content within the FileNet platform. The flaw enables authenticated remote attackers to execute malicious scripts by manipulating URL parameters, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this enterprise content management solution.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the Content Navigator's URL handling mechanisms. When authenticated users navigate through the content management interface, the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied URL parameters before rendering them in web responses. This inadequate sanitization creates an opening for attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code or HTML content that executes within the context of other users' browser sessions. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the application processes crafted URLs that contain malicious payloads, which are then reflected back to users without proper encoding or validation.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a substantial risk to enterprise security environments where IBM FileNet Content Manager is deployed. The remote authenticated nature of the attack means that an attacker with valid credentials can exploit this flaw without requiring physical access to the system or additional privileges. The impact extends beyond simple script execution, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of legitimate users, or redirect victims to malicious sites. Organizations using this content management platform face potential data breaches, privilege escalation, and unauthorized access to sensitive documents and system resources.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches and hotfixes for both Content Manager 5.2.x and Content Foundation 5.2.x versions, specifically targeting the 5.2.0.3-P8CPE-IF003 release. Network segmentation and web application firewalls should be configured to monitor and filter suspicious URL patterns, particularly those containing common XSS payload indicators. Input validation controls should be enhanced at the application level to ensure all URL parameters undergo strict sanitization before processing. Security monitoring should include detection of anomalous URL access patterns and potential XSS attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 (Cross-site Scripting) and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript) and T1566 (Phishing), as it enables attackers to craft malicious web content that can be delivered to unsuspecting users within the content management environment.