CVE-2016-0269 in BigFix Platform
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in IBM BigFix Platform 9.x before 9.1.8 and 9.2.x before 9.2.7 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/27/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-0269 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the IBM BigFix Platform version 9.x prior to 9.1.8 and 9.2.x prior to 9.2.7. This security weakness resides in the platform's handling of user-supplied input within URL parameters, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute unauthorized web scripts or HTML content. The vulnerability specifically affects authenticated users who interact with the platform through web interfaces, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where privileged access is common. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-provided data before rendering it within web pages.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when authenticated users navigate to a specially crafted URL containing malicious script payloads. The IBM BigFix Platform, designed for enterprise endpoint management and security monitoring, processes these malformed URLs without sufficient sanitization, allowing the injected scripts to execute within the context of the victim's browser session. This behavior aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting vulnerabilities as weaknesses in input validation and output encoding. Attackers can leverage this flaw to steal session cookies, perform actions on behalf of authenticated users, or redirect victims to malicious websites. The vulnerability's impact is amplified because it requires only authentication to the platform, meaning that an attacker with valid credentials can exploit this weakness without additional privileges.
The operational consequences of CVE-2016-0269 extend beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling more sophisticated attacks within enterprise networks. Given that IBM BigFix Platform serves as a critical security management tool for endpoint monitoring, exploitation could allow attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive network information, manipulate security policies, or compromise the integrity of the entire platform. The vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited across multiple authenticated sessions, making it particularly concerning for organizations that rely on BigFix for security operations. Security teams face the challenge of defending against attacks that leverage legitimate platform functionality to execute malicious code, complicating traditional network monitoring and intrusion detection approaches.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches for IBM BigFix Platform versions 9.1.8 and 9.2.7, which address the input validation deficiencies. Network administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious URL patterns, while conducting thorough security assessments of all authenticated web interfaces. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for credential access through web application attacks highlights the need for comprehensive security controls beyond traditional perimeter defenses. Regular security awareness training for platform administrators and monitoring of unusual authentication patterns can help detect exploitation attempts. Organizations should also review their access control policies to ensure that only necessary users maintain authenticated sessions, reducing the attack surface for this particular vulnerability.