CVE-2016-0262 in Maximo Asset Management
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in IBM Maximo Asset Management 7.1.1 through 7.1.1.3, 7.5.0 before 7.5.0.9 IFIX004, and 7.6.0 before 7.6.0.3 IFIX001 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/01/2019
The vulnerability CVE-2016-0262 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in IBM Maximo Asset Management software across multiple version ranges including 7.1.1 through 7.1.1.3, 7.5.0 before 7.5.0.9 IFIX004, and 7.6.0 before 7.6.0.3 IFIX001. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a common weakness in web applications that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The flaw specifically affects authenticated users who can manipulate URL parameters to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the application context.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of URL parameters that are not properly sanitized or validated by the Maximo Asset Management application. When authenticated users navigate to specially crafted URLs containing malicious script payloads, the application fails to adequately filter or escape these inputs before rendering them in the user interface. This allows attackers to inject JavaScript code that executes in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions within the application. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only authentication to exploit, meaning that any user with valid credentials can potentially leverage this flaw.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable sophisticated attack vectors that compromise the entire Maximo environment. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, modify user permissions, access sensitive asset data, or even escalate privileges within the application. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors do not need physical access to the network or system, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments where Maximo is used for critical asset management operations. Organizations using these vulnerable versions face significant risk of data breaches and operational disruption, especially given that Maximo is commonly deployed in industrial and enterprise settings where asset tracking and maintenance management are critical functions.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the relevant IBM IFIX patches, specifically IFIX004 for 7.5.0 versions and IFIX001 for 7.6.0 versions, along with implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 for Account Access Removal and T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as attackers can use this flaw to establish persistent access and execute malicious commands within the application environment. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and content security policies can provide additional layers of protection. Regular security assessments and input validation testing should be conducted to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in the future, particularly given that this vulnerability affects multiple major releases of the Maximo platform.