CVE-2015-7414 in InfoSphere Master Data Management
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the GDS component in IBM InfoSphere Master Data Management - Collaborative Edition 9.1, 10.1, 11.0 before 11.0.0.0 IF11, 11.3 before 11.3.0.0 IF7, and 11.4 before 11.4.0.4 IF1 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/22/2018
The vulnerability CVE-2015-7414 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within IBM InfoSphere Master Data Management - Collaborative Edition components. This security weakness specifically affects versions 9.1, 10.1, 11.0 prior to 11.0.0.0 IF11, 11.3 prior to 11.3.0.0 IF7, and 11.4 prior to 11.4.0.4 IF1. The vulnerability resides in the GDS (Governance Data Services) component which serves as a core element for managing master data within the collaborative edition platform. This XSS vulnerability enables remote authenticated attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data and system compromise.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the GDS component's URL handling mechanisms. When authenticated users navigate to specially crafted URLs containing malicious script payloads, the application fails to properly sanitize or escape the input parameters before rendering them in web responses. This inadequate sanitization creates an environment where attacker-controlled content can be executed as legitimate script within the victim's browser context. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the application processes URL parameters that are subsequently displayed without proper HTML encoding or script context validation.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-7414 extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling sophisticated attack vectors that can compromise entire user sessions and data integrity. An authenticated attacker with access to the system can craft malicious URLs that, when visited by other users, execute arbitrary JavaScript code within their browser sessions. This capability can be leveraged to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of victims, redirect users to malicious sites, or extract sensitive information from the master data management environment. The vulnerability affects the collaborative edition's data governance capabilities, potentially undermining the integrity and confidentiality of master data assets that organizations rely upon for business operations.
Organizations utilizing affected IBM InfoSphere versions face significant security risks including potential data breaches, unauthorized access to master data repositories, and session hijacking attacks. The vulnerability's remote execution capability means attackers do not require physical access to systems, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments where multiple users interact with the master data management platform. Security teams must consider the potential for this vulnerability to serve as a stepping stone for more extensive attacks, as it can be combined with other exploitation techniques to escalate privileges or access additional system components. The impact is particularly severe given that master data management systems typically contain highly sensitive business information that requires robust protection.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-7414 should focus on immediate patch application from IBM, which provides specific fixes for the affected versions. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation mechanisms and output encoding practices to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in other components. Network segmentation and access controls can help limit the potential impact if exploitation occurs, while security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous URL access patterns. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script injection attacks. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify and remediate similar input validation weaknesses in custom applications that interact with the master data management platform.