CVE-2014-4787 in Initiate Master Data Service
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in IBM Initiate Master Data Service 9.5 before 9.5.093013, 9.7 before 9.7.093013, 10.0 before 10.0.093013, and 10.1 before 10.1.093013 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/18/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-4787 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within IBM Initiate Master Data Service across multiple versions including 9.5, 9.7, 10.0, and 10.1. This issue affects systems running versions prior to the specified patch levels, creating a persistent security weakness that could be exploited by malicious actors. The vulnerability specifically allows authenticated users to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content into the application's interface, potentially compromising the security of the entire system.
This XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the IBM Initiate Master Data Service platform. The flaw exists in the way the application processes user input that is subsequently rendered in web pages without proper sanitization. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that get executed in the context of other users' browsers when they view affected pages. The vulnerability's classification as a remote authenticated attack vector indicates that exploitation requires legitimate user credentials, though this does not significantly reduce the risk level given the potential for widespread impact.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive data, manipulate application functionality, or redirect users to malicious websites. The master data service environment typically handles critical business information, making the potential consequences of exploitation particularly severe. Organizations utilizing these vulnerable versions face risks of data breaches, unauthorized access to master data repositories, and potential compromise of downstream systems that depend on the integrity of this data. The vulnerability's presence in multiple major versions suggests a systemic issue within the application's security architecture rather than an isolated incident.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor patches released for each affected version, implementing proper input validation at multiple layers, and deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious web content. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security assessments of their master data management systems to identify similar vulnerabilities and establish robust input sanitization protocols. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patched versions to ensure no regression issues occur while maintaining the application's functionality and data integrity standards.