CVE-2015-7458 in Connections
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in IBM Connections 3.0.1.1 and earlier, 4.0, 4.5, and 5.0 before CR4 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors. IBM X-Force ID: 108354.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/05/2021
The vulnerability CVE-2015-7458 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting IBM Connections versions 3.0.1.1 and earlier, as well as versions 4.0, 4.5, and 5.0 before CR4. This vulnerability resides within the web application's input validation mechanisms, creating a pathway for remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of affected user sessions. The unspecified vectors indicate that the flaw could potentially be exploited through multiple entry points within the application's web interface, making the attack surface broader and more difficult to predict.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from inadequate sanitization of user-supplied input data before rendering it within web pages. IBM Connections, being a social collaboration platform, processes various forms of user-generated content including profile information, blog posts, comments, and discussion threads. When user input containing malicious script code is not properly escaped or filtered, it gets executed in the browser of other users who view the compromised content. This weakness directly maps to CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting vulnerabilities as a result of insufficient input validation and output encoding. The vulnerability's classification aligns with the broader category of injection flaws that allow attackers to manipulate application behavior through malicious input.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to perform session hijacking, data theft, and privilege escalation attacks within the targeted environment. An attacker could craft malicious payloads that steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or modify content displayed to other users, potentially compromising the integrity of the entire collaboration platform. The attack requires no special privileges or authentication, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by anyone with access to the vulnerable IBM Connections instance. This vulnerability directly impacts the platform's security posture and could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive corporate information shared through the collaboration environment.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates, implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms, and deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads. The remediation process should also include comprehensive security testing of all user input handling components and regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar weaknesses. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability falls under the T1059.008 technique category for script injection, and organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring solutions to detect anomalous traffic patterns indicative of XSS exploitation attempts. Additionally, security awareness training for administrators should emphasize the importance of timely patch management and the potential consequences of running unpatched vulnerable software versions.