CVE-2016-0350 in Jazz Reporting Service
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in 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 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted URL, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-2888 and CVE-2016-0313.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/18/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-0350 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within IBM Jazz Reporting Service's Report Builder and Data Collection Component functionality. This security weakness affects versions 5.x prior to 5.0.2 ifix016 and 6.x prior to 6.0.1 ifix005, creating a significant risk for authenticated users who may be exploited through maliciously crafted URL inputs. The vulnerability specifically resides in how the system processes and handles URL parameters within the reporting framework, making it distinct from related issues such as CVE-2016-2888 and CVE-2016-0313 which address different aspects of the same software ecosystem.
The technical implementation of this flaw occurs when the DCC component fails to properly sanitize or validate URL inputs before rendering them in web responses. This insufficient input validation allows attackers who have authenticated access to the system to craft malicious URLs containing embedded script code or HTML elements. When these crafted URLs are processed by the reporting service, the malicious content gets executed within the context of other users' browsers, potentially enabling session hijacking, data theft, or further exploitation of the victim's privileges. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting as a code injection flaw where untrusted data is improperly integrated into web pages viewed by other users.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for organizations utilizing IBM Jazz Reporting Service as it allows authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code within victim browsers without requiring additional privileges. The impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can facilitate more sophisticated attacks including credential theft, privilege escalation, or redirection to malicious sites. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to compromise user sessions and potentially gain access to sensitive reporting data or system resources that are typically restricted to authorized personnel. The fact that this affects the Data Collection Component means that even legitimate reporting activities could become vectors for malicious payloads, making detection and mitigation more challenging.
Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems to address this vulnerability, as the remediation requires applying the specific ifixes mentioned in the CVE description. The mitigation strategy should include implementing proper input validation at all entry points within the reporting service, particularly for URL parameters and user-supplied data. Security teams should also consider network-level protections such as web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious URL patterns. Additionally, implementing content security policies and regular security scanning of reporting components can help identify similar vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering through malicious web content, and T1059 which addresses command and script injection attacks, making comprehensive security controls essential for protection against such threats.