CVE-2016-0345 in TRIRIGA Application Platform
Summary
by MITRE
IBM TRIRIGA Application Platform 3.3 before 3.3.2.6, 3.4 before 3.4.2.3, and 3.5 before 3.5.0.1 allows remote authenticated users to obtain the installation path via vectors involving Birt report rendering. IBM X-Force ID: 111786.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/04/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-0345 affects IBM TRIRIGA Application Platform versions prior to specific patch releases, creating a significant information disclosure risk that could enable attackers to gain insights into the system's underlying infrastructure. This issue specifically impacts versions 3.3 before 3.3.2.6, 3.4 before 3.4.2.3, and 3.5 before 3.5.0.1, representing a critical security gap that exists across multiple platform generations. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of Birt report rendering functionality, which is a core component of the TRIRIGA platform used for generating business intelligence reports and dashboards. The flaw allows remote authenticated users to extract sensitive installation path information through carefully crafted requests that exploit the report rendering engine's response handling mechanisms.
The technical nature of this vulnerability can be categorized under CWE-200, which specifically addresses information disclosure vulnerabilities where sensitive information is exposed to unauthorized parties. The attack vector involves authenticated users who can leverage the Birt reporting functionality to trigger a response that includes the absolute installation path of the TRIRIGA application server. This type of information disclosure represents a significant risk because installation paths often contain directory structures, server names, and other system identifiers that could aid attackers in planning more sophisticated attacks. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires authentication, meaning that an attacker would need valid credentials to exploit this weakness, but once exploited, it provides valuable reconnaissance information.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for organizations using IBM TRIRIGA platforms, as the disclosed installation paths could serve as a foundation for further exploitation attempts. The information disclosure could enable attackers to map the server architecture, identify potential file locations, and understand the system's directory structure, which might reveal additional vulnerabilities or help in crafting more targeted attacks. This type of reconnaissance information is particularly valuable in the context of attack progression frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK, where the initial information gathering phase often precedes more destructive activities. The vulnerability could potentially facilitate privilege escalation or other advanced persistent threat activities by providing attackers with knowledge of the system's physical layout and configuration details.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches for versions 3.3.2.6, 3.4.2.3, and 3.5.0.1 respectively, which address the improper response handling in the Birt report rendering functionality. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls should be reviewed to limit the scope of authenticated users who can access report generation features. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns in report generation requests that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability represents a clear example of how seemingly minor implementation flaws in reporting engines can create significant security risks, highlighting the importance of proper input validation and response handling in enterprise applications. Organizations should also consider implementing application firewalls or web application security controls to further protect against such information disclosure attacks and align with industry best practices for securing business intelligence platforms.