CVE-2016-2922 in Rational ClearQuest
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Rational ClearQuest 8.0 through 8.0.1.9 and 9.0 through 9.0.1.3 (CQ OSLC linkages, EmailRelay) fails to check the SSL certificate against the requested hostname. It is subject to a man-in-the-middle attack with an impersonating server observing all the data transmitted to the real server. IBM X-Force ID: 113353.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/01/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-2922 affects IBM Rational ClearQuest versions 8.0 through 8.0.1.9 and 9.0 through 9.0.1.3, specifically within the OSLC linkages and EmailRelay components. This security flaw represents a critical failure in the SSL/TLS certificate validation process that undermines the fundamental security assurances provided by secure communications. The vulnerability stems from the application's inability to properly verify that the SSL certificate presented by a remote server matches the hostname being accessed, creating a significant security gap that exposes users to sophisticated cyber threats.
The technical implementation flaw resides in the SSL certificate hostname validation mechanism within the ClearQuest application's network communication stack. When establishing secure connections to remote servers through OSLC linkages or EmailRelay functionality, the system accepts any SSL certificate without performing the required hostname verification checks. This behavior violates established security protocols and allows attackers to intercept communications by presenting a valid certificate for a different hostname. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-295, which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," and represents a failure to implement proper SSL/TLS hostname verification as outlined in industry best practices. According to the ATT&CK framework, this weakness enables the T1046 technique of network service scanning and can facilitate T1566 for credential theft through man-in-the-middle attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching for organizations utilizing IBM Rational ClearQuest in their software development lifecycle processes. Attackers can exploit this weakness to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by positioning themselves between the ClearQuest client and legitimate servers, allowing them to observe, modify, or redirect all transmitted data. This includes sensitive information such as user credentials, configuration data, and potentially intellectual property stored within the ClearQuest database. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that ClearQuest is used for issue tracking, requirement management, and other critical development processes where confidentiality and integrity of data are paramount. Organizations may experience unauthorized access to development artifacts, potential data breaches, and compromised security of their software development workflows.
Organizations should immediately implement multiple layers of mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability. The primary recommendation involves applying the official IBM security patches and updates released for affected ClearQuest versions, which typically include proper SSL certificate hostname validation. Network administrators should also consider implementing additional security controls such as certificate pinning for critical connections, enhanced network monitoring to detect suspicious SSL traffic patterns, and mandatory security awareness training for users handling sensitive data through ClearQuest. The implementation of network segmentation and firewall rules that restrict outbound SSL connections to known trusted endpoints can provide additional defense-in-depth. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any other systems that might be similarly affected by improper SSL certificate validation and ensure compliance with security standards such as NIST SP 800-57 and ISO/IEC 27001. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be performed to validate that the implemented mitigations are effective against this specific class of vulnerability.