CVE-2014-6150 in Tivoli Application Dependency Discovery Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in IBM Tivoli Application Dependency Discovery Manager (TADDM) 7.2.1.0 through 7.2.1.6 and 7.2.2.0 through 7.2.2.2 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/01/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6150 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within IBM Tivoli Application Dependency Discovery Manager versions 7.2.1.0 through 7.2.1.6 and 7.2.2.0 through 7.2.2.2. This security weakness resides in the web application component of TADDM, which is designed to discover and map application dependencies within enterprise environments. The vulnerability specifically affects the application's handling of user-supplied input in URL parameters, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of authenticated user sessions. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize or validate URL parameters before rendering them in web responses, allowing attackers to inject malicious payloads that can be executed by other users who access the compromised pages.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability operates as a classic reflected cross-site scripting attack where the malicious input is embedded within a URL and delivered to the victim's browser through a crafted link or web request. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as "Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')", which is a well-documented weakness in web application security. The attack requires only authenticated access to the TADDM application, making it particularly dangerous in environments where privileged users maintain administrative access to the dependency discovery system. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious websites. The impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable more sophisticated attacks such as session hijacking, data exfiltration, or even privilege escalation within the application's security boundaries.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-6150 is significant for organizations relying on IBM Tivoli Application Dependency Discovery Manager for their enterprise application mapping and dependency analysis needs. Since the vulnerability affects authenticated users, it can be exploited by insiders or attackers who have gained legitimate access to the system through other means. This creates a persistent security risk where compromised accounts can be used to launch attacks against other users within the same organization, potentially leading to widespread data exposure or system compromise. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where TADDM is used to maintain sensitive dependency information about critical business applications, as successful exploitation could allow attackers to gain insights into the enterprise's application architecture and potentially identify additional attack vectors. Organizations using these affected versions face increased risk of data breaches and unauthorized access to their application dependency data, which could be used to plan more sophisticated attacks against their infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of affected IBM Tivoli Application Dependency Discovery Manager versions to the latest available releases that contain the necessary security fixes. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit the exposure of TADDM systems, particularly in environments where privileged accounts are used. Web application firewalls and input validation mechanisms should be configured to detect and block suspicious URL parameters that might indicate XSS attack attempts. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns in URL access and user behavior that could indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in related systems. Additionally, user education and awareness programs should be implemented to help users recognize potentially malicious links and understand the importance of not clicking on untrusted URLs. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and implementing proper input validation and output encoding as recommended by the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines to prevent similar issues in future development cycles.