CVE-2016-0284 in Rational Collaborative Lifecycle Management
Summary
by MITRE
The XML parser in IBM Rational Collaborative Lifecycle Management 3.0.1.6 before iFix8, 4.0 before 4.0.7 iFix11, 5.0 before 5.0.2 iFix18, and 6.0 before 6.0.2 iFix5; Rational Quality Manager 3.0.1.6 before iFix8, 4.0 before 4.0.7 iFix11, 5.0 before 5.0.2 iFix18, and 6.0 before 6.0.2 iFix5; Rational Team Concert 3.0.1.6 before iFix8, 4.0 before 4.0.7 iFix11, 5.0 before 5.0.2 iFix18, and 6.0 before 6.0.2 iFix5; Rational DOORS Next Generation 4.0 before 4.0.7 iFix11, 5.0 before 5.0.2 iFix18, and 6.0 before 6.0.2 iFix5; Rational Engineering Lifecycle Manager 4.x before 4.0.7 iFix11, 5.0 before 5.0.2 iFix18, and 6.0 before 6.0.2 iFix5; Rational Rhapsody Design Manager 4.0 before 4.0.7 iFix11, 5.0 before 5.0.2 iFix18, and 6.0 before 6.0.2 iFix5; and Rational Software Architect Design Manager 4.0 before 4.0.7 iFix11, 5.0 before 5.0.2 iFix18, and 6.0 before 6.0.2 iFix5 allows remote authenticated users to read arbitrary files or cause a denial of service via an XML document containing an external entity declaration in conjunction with an entity reference, related to an XML External Entity (XXE) issue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/08/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-0284 represents a critical XML External Entity (XXE) flaw affecting multiple IBM Rational software products including Collaborative Lifecycle Management, Quality Manager, Team Concert, DOORS Next Generation, Engineering Lifecycle Manager, Rhapsody Design Manager, and Software Architect Design Manager across various version ranges. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the XML parsing functionality of these enterprise-grade development and lifecycle management tools. The flaw specifically manifests when the affected systems process XML documents that contain external entity declarations combined with entity references, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system's XML parser.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows remote authenticated users to leverage the XXE issue for two primary malicious purposes: unauthorized file access and denial of service conditions. When an XML document containing malicious external entity declarations is processed, the system's XML parser attempts to resolve these external references, potentially enabling attackers to read arbitrary files from the server's filesystem. This file disclosure capability can expose sensitive configuration files, database credentials, or other confidential information stored on the system. Additionally, the vulnerability can be exploited to cause denial of service by crafting XML payloads that trigger resource exhaustion or infinite loops within the XML processing engine, effectively disrupting normal system operations and availability.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations utilizing IBM Rational products for software development lifecycle management. The authenticated nature of the attack means that attackers must first obtain valid credentials, but this requirement does not eliminate the threat since legitimate users with appropriate access levels could potentially exploit the vulnerability. The vulnerability affects enterprise-scale systems where sensitive intellectual property, development artifacts, and organizational data are stored, making the potential impact substantial. The affected versions span multiple major releases, indicating this was a widespread issue that required patching across various product lines and their respective maintenance cycles.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant iFix patches provided by IBM to address the XXE vulnerability in their Rational products. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit exposure of these systems to untrusted networks. Input validation mechanisms should be strengthened to reject XML documents containing external entity declarations or references, and administrators should monitor system logs for suspicious XML processing activities. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-611 (Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference) and represents a common attack pattern categorized under the MITRE ATT&CK framework as part of the "Exploitation for Credential Access" and "Execution" techniques. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls or XML gateways to filter malicious XML content before it reaches the vulnerable applications, and conduct thorough security assessments of their Rational product deployments to identify potential additional attack vectors related to XML processing functionality.