CVE-2015-0177 in WebSphere Portal
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in IBM WebSphere Portal 8.5.0 before CF05 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-0177 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within IBM WebSphere Portal version 8.5.0 prior to cumulative fix 05. This security weakness resides in the portal's handling of user-supplied input within URL parameters, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute unauthorized scripts in the context of authenticated user sessions. The vulnerability specifically affects environments where users can navigate to specially crafted URLs that contain malicious script payloads, potentially compromising the integrity of the portal's user interface and data processing mechanisms.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the WebSphere Portal's URL parsing and rendering components. When authenticated users access malformed URLs containing script tags or malicious HTML content, the portal fails to properly sanitize these inputs before displaying them in web pages. This processing gap allows attackers to inject arbitrary JavaScript code that executes within the victim's browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, data exfiltration, or privilege escalation. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the portal's web interface rendering capabilities, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where portal systems handle sensitive business data and user authentication.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-0177 extends beyond simple script injection, as it enables attackers to exploit the authenticated user context for more sophisticated attacks. An attacker with valid credentials can craft URLs that, when accessed by other authenticated users, execute malicious scripts that can steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or manipulate portal functionality. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which classifies improper neutralization of input during web page generation as a primary weakness in web applications. The attack vector leverages the principle of trust within the portal environment, where legitimate user sessions become compromised through manipulated URL parameters that bypass normal security controls.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying IBM's cumulative fix 05 for WebSphere Portal 8.5.0, which addresses the input validation gaps in URL handling. Network-based protections such as web application firewalls should be configured to monitor and filter suspicious URL patterns containing script tags or unusual parameter sequences. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of defense by restricting script execution within portal pages. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and output encoding practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten security principles, specifically addressing the prevention of cross-site scripting attacks through proper sanitization of user inputs.
This vulnerability also relates to several techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the web application attack patterns, particularly those involving client-side code injection and session manipulation. The attack chain typically begins with reconnaissance to identify vulnerable portal installations, followed by crafting malicious URLs that exploit the XSS weakness, and concludes with leveraging the compromised session to access restricted portal features or extract sensitive information. Organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their WebSphere Portal installations to identify all potential entry points for similar vulnerabilities and establish robust patch management procedures to prevent future exploitation attempts.