CVE-2016-3042 in WebSphere Application Server
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Web UI in IBM WebSphere Application Server (WAS) Liberty before 16.0.0.3 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via vectors involving OpenID Connect clients.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/29/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-3042 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the WebSphere Application Server Liberty profile, specifically affecting versions prior to 16.0.0.3. This issue resides in the Web UI component and demonstrates how authentication mechanisms can be exploited to bypass security controls through malicious script injection. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects authenticated users who are already within the system, yet their sessions remain vulnerable to malicious code execution that could compromise the entire web application environment.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the OpenID Connect client handling functionality of the Liberty profile. When authenticated users interact with OpenID Connect client configurations or authentication flows, the system fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input data before rendering it in web responses. This creates an environment where malicious actors can inject arbitrary JavaScript or HTML code that executes within the context of other users' browser sessions. The flaw specifically manifests during the processing of OpenID Connect client parameters, where user-provided values are directly incorporated into web page content without appropriate sanitization measures.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation within the application environment. The authenticated nature of the exploit means that attackers do not require system-level access or complex attack vectors, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where the Liberty profile serves as a core application platform. The impact extends beyond individual user sessions to potentially compromise entire application deployments, as the injected scripts can access sensitive data, manipulate application functionality, and establish persistent backdoors within the web application ecosystem.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and demonstrates how modern authentication protocols can introduce new attack surfaces when not properly secured. From an attacker's perspective, this flaw maps to multiple ATT&CK techniques including T1566 for credential access through malicious web content and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage. Organizations utilizing IBM WebSphere Liberty profile must implement immediate remediation measures including applying the vendor-provided security patches, implementing additional input validation controls, and conducting comprehensive security assessments of their OpenID Connect implementations to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability.
Mitigation strategies should include upgrading to IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty version 16.0.0.3 or later, which contains the necessary security patches to address the XSS vulnerability. Additional protective measures involve implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application, particularly for OpenID Connect client configurations. Organizations should also consider deploying web application firewalls and content security policies to provide additional layers of protection against similar vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments and penetration testing of authentication flows should be conducted to identify potential attack vectors and ensure that security controls remain effective against evolving threats in the web application landscape.