CVE-2014-6161 in Netcool
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in IBM Tivoli Netcool/Impact 6.1.1 before 6.1.1.1-TIV-NCI-IF0001 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/15/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6161 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within IBM Tivoli Netcool/Impact 6.1.1 software, specifically affecting versions prior to 6.1.1.1-TIV-NCI-IF0001. This security weakness resides in the application's handling of user-supplied input within URL parameters, creating a pathway for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of authenticated user sessions. The vulnerability affects the broader IBM Tivoli monitoring ecosystem, which is widely deployed in enterprise environments for network and system monitoring purposes.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Netcool/Impact web interface. When authenticated users navigate to specially crafted URLs containing malicious script payloads, the application fails to properly sanitize or escape the input data before rendering it in web responses. This allows attackers who have already established legitimate authentication credentials to manipulate the application's behavior and potentially compromise user sessions or access sensitive monitoring data. The flaw operates at the application layer and specifically targets the web-based management interface of the monitoring platform.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to enterprise security infrastructure since Netcool/Impact is commonly used for critical network monitoring and incident response operations. An attacker with valid credentials could exploit this vulnerability to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or inject malware into the monitoring environment. The impact extends beyond simple data theft as compromised monitoring systems could lead to undetected security breaches, operational disruptions, and potential lateral movement within the network. Organizations relying on this platform for security monitoring face elevated risk of persistent threats that could evade detection mechanisms.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script injection. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patch version 6.1.1.1-TIV-NCI-IF0001, implementing web application firewalls to filter malicious requests, and conducting thorough security assessments of the monitoring environment. Additional defensive measures include regular input validation testing, output encoding verification, and network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation. Security teams should also review access controls and implement principle of least privilege to minimize the attack surface and ensure that only authorized personnel have access to the vulnerable monitoring interface.