CVE-2016-3008 in Connections
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Web UI in IBM Connections 5.0 before CR4 and 5.5 before CR1 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-2954 and CVE-2016-2956.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/06/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-3008 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within the web user interface of IBM Connections versions 5.0 prior to CR4 and 5.5 prior to CR1. This security weakness falls under the broader category of CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities where improper validation of user-supplied data leads to execution of malicious scripts in the context of the victim's browser. The vulnerability affects authenticated users who can leverage this weakness to inject arbitrary web script or HTML code into the application's web interface.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through unspecified vectors that allow attackers to manipulate input fields or parameters within the IBM Connections web application. Unlike similar vulnerabilities such as CVE-2016-2954 and CVE-2016-2956, CVE-2016-3008 presents distinct attack surfaces that specifically target the web user interface components of the IBM Connections platform. This XSS vulnerability enables attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of authenticated sessions, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or unauthorized actions within the application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for organizations utilizing IBM Connections, as it provides remote authenticated attackers with the capability to compromise user sessions and potentially gain access to sensitive corporate data. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that persist within the application's interface, affecting all users who view the compromised content. The vulnerability's persistence across different versions of IBM Connections means that organizations running these older releases face ongoing risk without proper patches or mitigations. This type of vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and can enable attackers to escalate their privileges within the application environment.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant IBM security patches and critical releases that address this vulnerability. Input validation controls should be strengthened at all entry points to prevent malicious script injection, while output encoding mechanisms must be enforced to prevent script execution in web contexts. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter indicates that attackers could leverage this weakness to execute arbitrary code through web-based attack vectors. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious script injection patterns and anomalous user behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing content security policies and disabling unnecessary web application features can reduce the attack surface and limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities.