CVE-2015-4962 in Rational Collaborative Lifecycle Management
Summary
by MITRE
Jazz Team Server in Jazz Foundation in IBM Rational Collaborative Lifecycle Management (CLM) 3.x and 4.x before 4.0.7 IF9, 5.x before 5.0.2 IF9, and 6.x before 6.0.1; Rational Quality Manager (RQM) 3.x before 3.0.1.6 IF7, 4.x before 4.0.7 IF9, 5.x before 5.0.2 IF9, and 6.x before 6.0.1; Rational Team Concert (RTC) 3.x before 3.0.1.6 IF7, 4.x before 4.0.7 IF9, 5.x before 5.0.2 IF9, and 6.x before 6.0.1; Rational Requirements Composer (RRC) 3.x before 3.0.1.6 IF7 and 4.x before 4.0.7 IF9; Rational DOORS Next Generation (RDNG) 4.x before 4.0.7 IF9, 5.x before 5.0.2 IF9, and 6.x before 6.0.1; Rational Engineering Lifecycle Manager (RELM) 4.x through 4.0.7, 5.x through 5.0.2, and 6.x before 6.0.1; Rational Rhapsody Design Manager (DM) 4.x through 4.0.7, 5.x through 5.0.2, and 6.x before 6.0.1; and Rational Software Architect Design Manager (DM) 4.x through 4.0.7, 5.x through 5.0.2, and 6.x before 6.0.1 uses weak permissions for unspecified project areas, which allows remote authenticated users to obtain sensitive information via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-4962 affects multiple IBM Rational products within the Collaborative Lifecycle Management suite, including Jazz Team Server and various specialized modules such as Rational Quality Manager, Rational Team Concert, Rational Requirements Composer, Rational DOORS Next Generation, Rational Engineering Lifecycle Manager, and Rational Rhapsody and Software Architect Design Managers. This issue stems from weak permission configurations in unspecified project areas that allow authenticated remote attackers to access sensitive information through unknown vectors. The affected versions span across multiple major releases including 3.x, 4.x, 5.x, and 6.x, with specific patch levels indicating the vulnerable ranges. The vulnerability represents a significant security weakness in the access control mechanisms of these enterprise collaboration platforms, which are widely used in software development and lifecycle management environments. The impact extends beyond individual products to encompass the entire IBM Rational CLM ecosystem, affecting organizations that rely on these tools for managing complex software development projects and requirements.
The technical flaw manifests in the improper implementation of access controls within project areas of the Jazz Foundation system. While the exact vector remains unspecified in the CVE description, the weakness lies in how the system handles permissions for project areas, creating potential pathways for unauthorized information disclosure. This type of vulnerability typically falls under the category of insufficient access control as defined by CWE-284, which addresses improper access control mechanisms that allow unauthorized users to access resources. The weakness allows authenticated users to exploit the system's permission model to gain access to information they should not be able to view, potentially exposing sensitive project data, requirements specifications, or development artifacts. The vulnerability's presence across multiple IBM Rational products suggests a systemic issue within the Jazz Foundation architecture rather than isolated component flaws, making the impact more widespread and concerning for organizations using these integrated tools.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial for organizations using IBM Rational CLM products, as it could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive project information and intellectual property. Remote authenticated attackers who can exploit this weakness may gain access to confidential requirements documents, test cases, development artifacts, or other proprietary information that should remain restricted to authorized personnel only. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations with complex development environments where multiple teams collaborate on sensitive projects, potentially exposing trade secrets, security requirements, or compliance-related data. The risk is elevated because the attack requires only authentication, meaning that someone with valid credentials could potentially access information beyond their authorized scope. Organizations using these tools for regulated industries or those handling sensitive government or financial data face particularly high risk from this vulnerability. The impact extends to business continuity and compliance, as unauthorized access to development artifacts could compromise project integrity and regulatory compliance requirements.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on applying the vendor-provided patches and updates as specified in the affected version ranges. Organizations should immediately upgrade to the patched versions mentioned in the CVE description, including IBM Rational CLM 4.0.7 IF9, 5.0.2 IF9, and 6.0.1 releases, along with corresponding updates for all affected modules. System administrators should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any systems running unpatched versions of these products and implement mandatory upgrade schedules. Additionally, organizations should review and strengthen their access control policies, implementing principle of least privilege where possible to minimize the potential impact of any remaining access control weaknesses. Network segmentation and monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining current security practices and following the ATT&CK framework's approach to identifying and mitigating access control weaknesses, particularly focusing on privilege escalation and credential access techniques that attackers might employ to exploit such flaws. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in the broader IT infrastructure that could be leveraged in conjunction with this vulnerability.