CVE-2014-6180 in WebSphere Service Registry
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Web UI in IBM WebSphere Service Registry and Repository (WSRR) 7.0.x before 7.0.0.5 and 7.5.x before 7.5.0.1 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the HTTP User-Agent header.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/09/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6180 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within IBM WebSphere Service Registry and Repository version 7.0.x prior to 7.0.0.5 and 7.5.x prior to 7.5.0.1. This weakness resides in the web user interface component of the WSRR platform, which serves as a centralized repository for managing enterprise service registries and ensuring service interoperability within complex enterprise environments. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the system processes HTTP User-Agent headers without proper input validation or sanitization, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of authenticated user sessions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the HTTP User-Agent header, which is a standard HTTP request header that identifies the client software making the request. When authenticated users interact with the WSRR web interface, the system fails to properly sanitize this header value before rendering it in the user interface, thereby allowing attackers to inject malicious scripts. This flaw falls under CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities, and represents a classic case of insufficient input sanitization in web applications. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only authentication to exploit, meaning that any authenticated user with access to the WSRR web interface can potentially leverage this weakness to compromise other users within the same session context.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-6180 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform a variety of malicious activities within the compromised environment. An attacker could inject scripts that steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, modify the content displayed to other users, or even execute more sophisticated attacks such as credential harvesting or privilege escalation within the WSRR environment. This vulnerability particularly affects enterprise service management systems where WSRR serves as a critical component for maintaining service registry integrity, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to disrupt enterprise operations or gain unauthorized access to sensitive service metadata. The attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers the use of web application vulnerabilities for initial access or privilege escalation.
Organizations utilizing affected versions of IBM WebSphere Service Registry and Repository should immediately implement comprehensive mitigations to address this vulnerability. The primary remediation involves applying the official IBM security patches released for versions 7.0.0.5 and 7.5.0.1, which include proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms for HTTP headers. Additionally, network-level defenses such as web application firewalls should be configured to monitor and filter suspicious User-Agent header content, while security teams should implement regular input validation checks across all web interfaces. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches in enterprise environments, particularly for systems managing sensitive service registry information. Organizations should also consider implementing strict access controls and monitoring for unusual User-Agent patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, as this vulnerability represents a common attack vector that can significantly compromise enterprise service management infrastructure security posture.