CVE-2015-0112 in Rational Collaborative Lifecycle Management
Summary
by MITRE
Jazz Team Server in Jazz Foundation in IBM Rational Collaborative Lifecycle Management (CLM) 3.0.1, 4.x before 4.0.7 IF5, and 5.x before 5.0.2 IF4; Rational Quality Manager (RQM) 2.0 through 2.0.1, 3.0 through 3.0.1.6, 4.0 through 4.0.7, and 5.0 through 5.0.2; Rational Team Concert (RTC) 2.0 through 2.0.0.2, 3.x before 3.0.1.6 IF6, 4.x before 4.0.7 IF5, and 5.x before 5.0.2 IF4; Rational Requirements Composer (RRC) 2.0 through 2.0.0.4, 3.x before 3.0.1.6 IF6, and 4.0 through 4.0.7; Rational DOORS Next Generation (RDNG) 4.x before 4.0.7 IF5 and 5.x before 5.0.2 IF4; Rational Engineering Lifecycle Manager (RELM) 1.0 through 1.0.0.1, 4.0.3 through 4.0.7, and 5.0 through 5.0.2; Rational Rhapsody Design Manager (DM) 3.0 through 3.0.1, 4.0 through 4.0.7, and 5.0 through 5.0.2; and Rational Software Architect Design Manager (RSA DM) 3.0 through 3.0.1, 4.0 through 4.0.7, and 5.0 through 5.0.2 allows remote authenticated users to read arbitrary files via an XML external entity d eclaration in conjunction with an entity reference, related to an XML External Entity (XXE) issue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/04/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-0112 represents a critical XML External Entity (XXE) flaw affecting multiple IBM Rational products within the Collaborative Lifecycle Management ecosystem. This issue resides in the Jazz Team Server component of the Jazz Foundation, which serves as the core infrastructure for IBM's collaborative development platforms. The vulnerability manifests when the affected systems process XML input without proper validation, allowing malicious actors to exploit the XML parsing mechanism through carefully crafted external entity declarations. The flaw specifically affects versions of IBM Rational Collaborative Lifecycle Management 3.0.1, 4.x before 4.0.7 IF5, and 5.x before 5.0.2 IF4, along with numerous other Rational products including Rational Quality Manager, Rational Team Concert, Rational Requirements Composer, and others. The XXE vulnerability enables attackers to perform unauthorized file access operations by leveraging XML entity references that point to local system resources.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a sophisticated attack vector that combines XML external entity declarations with entity references, creating a pathway for remote authenticated users to access arbitrary files on the server. When the affected systems process XML data containing malicious external entity declarations, the XML parser resolves these entities by accessing the specified resources, potentially allowing attackers to read sensitive files from the server filesystem. This includes access to configuration files, database connection details, application source code, and other sensitive information that may be stored locally on the affected servers. The attack requires authentication to the system, but once authenticated, an attacker can leverage this XXE vulnerability to escalate their privileges and access data that should remain protected. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-611 (Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference) and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: Python) and T1566.001 (Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment) as attackers can use this vulnerability to exfiltrate sensitive data through file read operations.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-0112 extends beyond simple unauthorized file access, potentially enabling attackers to gain deeper system insights and compromise the overall security posture of organizations using affected IBM Rational products. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to gather intelligence about system configurations, user credentials stored in configuration files, and internal network structures that could facilitate further attacks. The vulnerability affects critical development and quality management platforms, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that rely on these tools for software development lifecycle management. The attack surface is significant as it affects multiple IBM Rational products across several version ranges, suggesting a widespread potential impact across enterprise development environments. Organizations using these tools face risks of intellectual property theft, compliance violations, and potential system compromise that could affect the entire development lifecycle management process.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of affected IBM Rational products, as IBM released specific fixes for this vulnerability in the respective product releases. The recommended approach involves disabling external entity processing in XML parsers and implementing proper input validation mechanisms to prevent unauthorized XML external entity resolution. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of affected products within their environment and ensure that proper patch management processes are in place. The mitigation strategy should include monitoring for suspicious XML processing activities and implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify potential XXE attack patterns. Organizations should also review their authentication and access control mechanisms to ensure that only authorized users can access these vulnerable systems, reducing the attack surface for potential exploitation.