CVE-2015-0106 in Business Process Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in IBM Business Process Manager (BPM) 7.5.x through 7.5.1.2, 8.0 through 8.0.1.3, 8.5.0 through 8.5.0.1, and 8.5.5 through 8.5.5.0 and WebSphere Lombardi Edition (WLE) 7.2.x through 7.2.0.5 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/24/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-0106 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting IBM Business Process Manager versions 7.5.x through 7.5.1.2, 8.0 through 8.0.1.3, 8.5.0 through 8.5.0.1, and 8.5.5 through 8.5.5.0, alongside WebSphere Lombardi Edition 7.2.x through 7.2.0.5. This security weakness resides in the web application's handling of user-supplied input within URL parameters, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute unauthorized scripts in the context of authenticated users' browsers. The vulnerability classifies under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities where improper validation of user input allows attackers to inject malicious code into web applications.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a remote attacker crafts a malicious URL containing script code that gets processed by the affected IBM BPM or WLE applications. When a victim accesses this crafted URL, the web application fails to properly sanitize or escape the input parameters, allowing the malicious script to execute within the victim's browser session. This type of attack leverages the trust relationship between the user and the web application, potentially enabling attackers to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious sites. The vulnerability impacts the application's input validation mechanisms, specifically failing to implement proper output encoding or sanitization of URL parameters before rendering them in web pages.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-0106 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can facilitate more sophisticated attacks within the enterprise environment. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access through session hijacking, steal sensitive business process data, or manipulate workflow execution. The affected systems typically process business process definitions, task assignments, and workflow data, making them attractive targets for attackers seeking to compromise enterprise business logic or extract confidential information. This vulnerability particularly threatens organizations using IBM BPM solutions for mission-critical processes, as successful exploitation could disrupt business operations or expose sensitive workflow information.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates released for affected versions of IBM BPM and WLE. Network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional layers of protection by monitoring and filtering malicious URL patterns. Input validation should be strengthened at all application entry points, with proper output encoding implemented for all dynamic content. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any potentially compromised systems and implement monitoring for suspicious URL access patterns. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.007 for scripting and T1566 for social engineering, highlighting the need for comprehensive defensive measures including user education about suspicious URL handling and network-based detection of malicious traffic patterns.