CVE-2016-0244 in WebSphere Portal
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in IBM WebSphere Portal 6.1.0.x through 6.1.0.6 CF27, 6.1.5.x through 6.1.5.3 CF27, 7.x through 7.0.0.2 CF29, 8.0.x before 8.0.0.1 CF20, and 8.5.x before 8.5.0.0 CF09 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted URL, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-0243.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/01/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-0244 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within IBM WebSphere Portal software versions spanning multiple release lines including 6.1.0.x through 6.1.0.6, 6.1.5.x through 6.1.5.3, 7.x through 7.0.0.2, 8.0.x before 8.0.0.1, and 8.5.x before 8.5.0.0. This vulnerability specifically affects the portal's handling of user-supplied input in URL parameters, creating a pathway for remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of legitimate user sessions. The flaw falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a fundamental web application security weakness that enables attackers to inject client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The vulnerability is distinct from CVE-2016-0243, indicating that IBM WebSphere Portal suffered from multiple XSS vulnerabilities within the same release cycle, highlighting the complexity of securing enterprise portal applications.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious URL containing script code that gets processed by the WebSphere Portal server and subsequently rendered in the browser of unsuspecting users. This occurs due to insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the portal's URL parameter handling. When users navigate to the crafted URL, the malicious script executes in the context of the victim's browser session, potentially allowing attackers to steal session cookies, perform actions on behalf of users, or redirect them to malicious sites. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the application layer and can be exploited without requiring authentication or privileged access to the system. Attackers can leverage this weakness to perform session hijacking, defacement of portal content, or to establish persistent backdoors within the organization's web infrastructure.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-0244 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can lead to complete compromise of user sessions and potentially facilitate broader attacks within the enterprise network. Organizations utilizing affected WebSphere Portal versions face significant risk of data breaches, unauthorized access to sensitive information, and potential lateral movement attacks. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple major release lines indicates a systemic issue in the portal's input sanitization processes, making it particularly concerning for large enterprises that may have numerous deployments across different versions. Security teams must consider that successful exploitation could enable attackers to access user accounts, view confidential portal content, modify web page displays, and potentially use the portal as a launching point for attacks against internal systems. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers can exploit it from anywhere on the internet, without requiring physical access to the organization's network infrastructure.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including applying the relevant IBM security patches and updates released for each affected version line. The most effective defense involves implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms that sanitize all user-supplied data before processing or rendering. Security measures should include deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious script patterns in URL parameters, implementing strict content security policies to prevent script execution, and conducting regular security assessments of portal applications. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1059.007 technique for Scripting, specifically targeting the execution of malicious scripts through web interfaces. Organizations should also consider implementing monitoring and alerting mechanisms to detect unusual URL patterns or script injection attempts, as well as establishing incident response procedures that account for potential session hijacking or data exfiltration scenarios. Regular security training for developers and administrators on secure coding practices and proper input validation techniques remains essential to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future releases.