CVE-2016-2965 in Sametime Meeting Server
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Sametime Meeting Server 8.5.2 and 9.0 is vulnerable to cross-site request forgery, caused by improper validation of user-supplied input. By persuading a user to visit a malicious link, a remote attacker could force the user to log out of Sametime. IBM X-Force ID: 113846.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/10/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-2965 affects IBM Sametime Meeting Server versions 8.5.2 and 9.0, representing a critical cross-site request forgery weakness that fundamentally undermines the security posture of enterprise communication systems. This vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of user-supplied input within the server's authentication and session management mechanisms, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate user sessions without proper authorization. The flaw operates through the exploitation of the server's trust in user-provided data, where legitimate requests are processed without adequate verification of their origin or authenticity.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability allows attackers to craft malicious web pages or links that, when visited by authenticated users, automatically submit requests to the Sametime server. The attack vector specifically targets the server's logout functionality, enabling remote adversaries to force legitimate users out of their sessions without their knowledge or consent. This particular exploitation method demonstrates how insufficient input validation creates opportunities for session manipulation, aligning with CWE-352 which categorizes cross-site request forgery vulnerabilities as those involving inadequate protection against unauthorized requests from authenticated users. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple session disruption, as it represents a fundamental breakdown in the server's ability to distinguish between legitimate and malicious requests.
The operational consequences of this vulnerability are severe for organizations relying on IBM Sametime for enterprise communications, as it enables unauthorized session termination that can disrupt business operations and potentially expose sensitive meeting data. When users are forcibly logged out, they may lose access to ongoing conference calls, shared documents, and collaborative work sessions, creating both productivity losses and potential security concerns. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for more sophisticated attacks, as session manipulation can serve as a precursor to other exploitation techniques. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1566 (Phishing) and T1078 (Valid Accounts) as attackers leverage social engineering to deliver malicious payloads that exploit the trust relationships within the application.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of mitigation to address this vulnerability, beginning with immediate patching of affected systems to the latest IBM security updates. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can help detect and block malicious CSRF requests by analyzing request patterns and validating request origins. Additionally, implementing proper Content Security Policy headers and using anti-CSRF tokens within application requests can provide additional protection layers. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of user education and awareness programs, as the attack requires user interaction through visiting malicious links, making social engineering awareness crucial for defense. Organizations should conduct regular security assessments of their communication platforms and implement comprehensive monitoring to detect unusual logout patterns that may indicate CSRF attacks. The remediation process should include reviewing session management configurations and ensuring that all user-supplied inputs are properly validated and sanitized before processing.