CVE-2015-7413 in WebSphere Portal
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in IBM WebSphere Portal 8.0.0 before 8.0.0.1 CF19 and 8.5.0 through CF08 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/11/2018
The CVE-2015-7413 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in IBM WebSphere Portal versions prior to 8.0.0.1 CF19 and 8.5.0 through CF08. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically targeting the web application's input validation mechanisms. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of a victim's browser by manipulating URL parameters, thereby compromising the security of web applications built on this platform. IBM WebSphere Portal serves as a comprehensive enterprise portal solution that aggregates content and services, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it affects the core web application framework.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of URL parameters that are not properly sanitized or validated by the WebSphere Portal application. Attackers can craft malicious URLs containing script payloads that get executed when users navigate to these specially crafted links or when the portal processes these parameters in its rendering logic. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the portal's URL handling components, allowing malicious code to persist in the application's response and execute in the victim's browser context. This flaw operates at the application layer, specifically affecting the portal's web interface rendering capabilities and user session management.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-7413 extends beyond simple script execution, potentially enabling attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user credentials, manipulate portal content, or redirect users to malicious websites. Given that WebSphere Portal typically serves enterprise users with varying privilege levels, successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to confidential business information, disruption of portal services, and potential lateral movement within the enterprise network. The vulnerability affects not only individual user sessions but also the overall integrity of the portal application, as malicious scripts could modify content displayed to multiple users simultaneously. Organizations relying on this portal platform for critical business operations face significant risk of data breaches and service disruption.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include applying the official IBM security patches and cumulative fixes released for WebSphere Portal versions 8.0.0.1 CF19 and 8.5.0 CF08. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation mechanisms at the application level, ensuring all URL parameters undergo strict sanitization before processing. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth measures, though they should not replace proper application-level fixes. Security teams should also conduct thorough code reviews focusing on URL parameter handling and output encoding practices, aligning with the OWASP Top Ten security principles. Regular vulnerability assessments and security monitoring should be implemented to detect and prevent exploitation attempts, as this vulnerability may be targeted by automated scanning tools and sophisticated attack frameworks. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a web application vulnerability exploitation technique, specifically under the 'Web Application Attack' domain where adversaries leverage application weaknesses to compromise user sessions and data integrity.