CVE-2016-0315 in Jazz Reporting Service
Summary
by MITRE
The Report Builder and Data Collection Component (DCC) in IBM Jazz Reporting Service (JRS) 5.x before 5.0.2 ifix016 and 6.x before 6.0.1 ifix005 maintain session ID validity after a logout action, which allows remote authenticated users to hijack sessions by leveraging an unattended workstation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/18/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2016-0315 affects IBM Jazz Reporting Service versions 5.x before 5.0.2 ifix016 and 6.x before 6.0.1 ifix005, specifically within the Report Builder and Data Collection Component functionality. This issue represents a critical session management flaw that undermines the security of authenticated user sessions within the reporting platform. The vulnerability manifests when users log out of the system but the session identifiers remain valid, creating an exploitable condition that persists beyond the intended logout period. This behavior fundamentally violates secure session handling principles and creates a persistent security risk for organizations utilizing these reporting services.
The technical flaw stems from improper session invalidation mechanisms within the DCC component of IBM JRS. When a user performs a logout action, the system should immediately invalidate the session identifier and terminate all associated session data to prevent unauthorized reuse. However, in affected versions, the session ID remains active and accessible even after logout, allowing attackers to leverage this vulnerability by simply capturing the session identifier and using it to assume the authenticated user's identity. This issue particularly affects unattended workstations where session identifiers might be left accessible to unauthorized individuals, creating a direct path for session hijacking attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential data breaches and privilege escalation scenarios. An attacker with access to an unattended workstation could capture a valid session ID after a legitimate user logs out and subsequently assume that user's identity within the reporting system. This could enable access to sensitive reports, data collection capabilities, and potentially administrative functions depending on the user's privileges. The vulnerability specifically targets the session management lifecycle, creating a window of opportunity for attackers to exploit the system during the period between logout and actual session termination. This weakness is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where multiple users interact with reporting systems and where workstations may be left unattended during business hours.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided fixes for IBM Jazz Reporting Service versions 5.0.2 ifix016 and 6.0.1 ifix005 to address the session management flaw. System administrators should also consider implementing additional security controls such as shorter session timeouts, automatic session termination after periods of inactivity, and enhanced monitoring for suspicious session activity. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-613, which addresses insufficient session expiration, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1548.001 for abuse of session management. Organizations should also review their session management policies and ensure that proper session invalidation occurs upon logout actions, implementing comprehensive session lifecycle management controls that prevent the persistence of session identifiers after user authentication ends. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper session handling in web applications and highlights the need for robust security practices in enterprise reporting platforms.