CVE-2015-0123 in Rational Team Concert
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in IBM Rational Team Concert 2.x and 3.x before 3.0.1.6 iFix 5, 4.x before 4.0.7 iFix3, and 5.x before 5.0.2 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted URL, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-0122.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/01/2022
The vulnerability described in CVE-2015-0123 represents a cross-site scripting flaw that affects IBM Rational Team Concert versions 2.x through 5.x, specifically before the mentioned iFix releases. This issue permits remote authenticated attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code through manipulated URL inputs, creating a significant security risk for organizations utilizing these collaboration and project management platforms. The vulnerability operates by failing to properly sanitize user-supplied input within URL parameters, allowing attackers to inject malicious content that executes in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the IBM Rational Team Concert application. When users navigate to specially crafted URLs containing malicious payloads, the application fails to adequately filter or escape the input before rendering it in web pages. This weakness enables attackers to exploit the application's trust in user-provided data, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of legitimate users. The vulnerability specifically impacts the URL handling components of the platform, making it particularly dangerous in collaborative environments where users frequently share links and project information.
From an operational perspective, this XSS vulnerability poses substantial risks to organizations using IBM Rational Team Concert for software development lifecycle management. The attack vector requires only authenticated access, meaning that any user with valid credentials can potentially exploit this flaw. Attackers could craft malicious URLs that, when clicked by other users, would execute scripts in their browsers to steal session cookies, redirect them to malicious sites, or modify project data. The impact extends beyond individual user sessions to potentially compromise entire project repositories and sensitive development information, particularly in environments where the platform handles proprietary code, design documents, and strategic project data.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability, beginning with immediate application of the vendor-provided iFix patches for the affected versions. The remediation process should include comprehensive security testing of all URL handling components and input validation mechanisms. Network-level defenses such as web application firewalls can provide additional protection by monitoring for suspicious URL patterns and blocking known malicious payloads. Security teams should also conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to identify similar issues in other enterprise applications. The mitigation strategy aligns with CWE-79 principles for preventing cross-site scripting attacks and follows ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter usage in web applications.
The vulnerability classification places this issue under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, while the attack pattern aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for execution through web applications. Organizations should also consider implementing content security policies and regular security awareness training for developers and users to prevent social engineering aspects of exploitation. The incident highlights the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing proper input validation across all web application components to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future.