CVE-2014-6115 in Rational Insight
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Rational Insight 1.1.1.5 allows remote attackers to bypass authentication and obtain sensitive information via a crafted request to a Jazz Reporting Service (JRS) report URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/14/2018
IBM Rational Insight version 1.1.1.5 contains a critical authentication bypass vulnerability that enables remote attackers to access sensitive information through manipulated requests to the Jazz Reporting Service JRS report URL. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and authentication mechanisms within the reporting service component of the Rational Insight platform. The flaw allows adversaries to craft specially formatted requests that circumvent the normal authentication process, thereby gaining unauthorized access to reports and data that should be restricted to authorized users only. The vulnerability exists due to insufficient validation of user credentials and session management within the JRS component, creating a path for unauthenticated access to sensitive business intelligence and operational data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of request parameters or headers that are typically used to authenticate users within the Jazz Reporting Service framework. Attackers can exploit this weakness by constructing specific HTTP requests that either reuse valid session tokens, manipulate authentication cookies, or bypass the authentication flow entirely through crafted URL parameters. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues in software systems, specifically targeting the failure to properly verify user identities before granting access to protected resources. The authentication bypass occurs at the application layer where the system fails to adequately validate the legitimacy of incoming requests before processing sensitive report data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized data access, as it can lead to significant business intelligence exposure and potential competitive disadvantage. Organizations using IBM Rational Insight 1.1.1.5 may find their project metrics, resource allocation data, development timelines, and other strategic information accessible to unauthorized parties. This exposure can result in intellectual property theft, competitive analysis by rivals, and potential regulatory compliance violations depending on the nature of the data being reported. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality aspect of the CIA triad and can be leveraged to gather sensitive operational information that could be used for further attacks or business disruption. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability maps to the attack technique T1212 in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, which involves exploitation of software vulnerabilities to bypass security controls.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the official IBM security patches released for this vulnerability, implementing network segmentation to limit access to the Jazz Reporting Service endpoints, and conducting thorough access control reviews. Additional defensive measures include enabling web application firewalls to monitor and filter suspicious requests, implementing strong session management practices, and conducting regular security assessments of the Rational Insight deployment. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper authentication design and input validation in enterprise reporting systems, highlighting the need for comprehensive security testing of business intelligence platforms. Organizations should also consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect unusual access patterns to reporting services and establish incident response procedures for potential exploitation of authentication bypass vulnerabilities.