CVE-2014-6100 in Tivoli Directory Server
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Admin UI in IBM Tivoli Directory Server 6.1 before 6.1.0.64-ISS-ITDS-IF0064, 6.2 before 6.2.0.39-ISS-ITDS-FP0039, and 6.3 before 6.3.0.33-ISS-ITDS-IF0033, and IBM Security Directory Server 6.3.1 before 6.3.1.7-ISS-ISDS-IF0007, allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/27/2018
The CVE-2014-6100 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the administrative user interface of IBM Tivoli Directory Server and its successor IBM Security Directory Server versions. This vulnerability affects multiple product lines including versions 6.1.x prior to 6.1.0.64, 6.2.x prior to 6.2.0.39, 6.3.x prior to 6.3.0.33, and 6.3.1.x prior to 6.3.1.7, making it a widespread issue across the directory server product family. The flaw resides specifically in the Admin UI component which processes user input without proper sanitization, creating an avenue for malicious code injection.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the administrative interface. When authenticated users navigate to specific URLs containing crafted malicious payloads, the system fails to properly sanitize the input before rendering it in the browser context. This allows remote attackers with valid credentials to inject arbitrary JavaScript code or HTML content that executes within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the system processes URL parameters that are not adequately escaped or filtered, enabling attackers to leverage the authenticated session to execute malicious scripts against other administrators or users within the same domain.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to directory server environments as it allows attackers to escalate privileges and compromise the administrative interface. The authenticated nature of the attack means that attackers need valid credentials, but once inside the system, they can manipulate the administrative UI to perform unauthorized actions. This includes potential session hijacking, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation attacks that could lead to complete system compromise. The impact extends beyond simple script injection as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to create persistent backdoors, modify user permissions, or access sensitive directory information that would otherwise be protected by proper access controls.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1566 for credential access through social engineering and T1078 for valid accounts usage. Organizations running affected versions of IBM Tivoli Directory Server or IBM Security Directory Server face potential exploitation by attackers who can leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to directory services. The attack vector requires minimal privileges since it targets an authenticated interface, making it particularly dangerous in environments where administrative accounts are frequently used. Security teams must consider this vulnerability as part of their broader threat modeling efforts for directory services infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include applying the vendor-provided security patches and fixes that address the input validation issues in the Admin UI component. Organizations should implement immediate patch management procedures to upgrade to the fixed versions mentioned in the CVE advisory, specifically versions 6.1.0.64, 6.2.0.39, 6.3.0.33, and 6.3.1.7 respectively. Additional defensive measures include implementing strict input validation for URL parameters in custom applications that interface with these directory servers, monitoring for unusual administrative activities, and employing web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious script injection attempts. Network segmentation and least privilege access controls should be enforced to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts, while regular security audits should verify that the administrative interfaces remain properly secured against similar vulnerabilities.