CVE-2016-3048 in OpenPages GRC Platform
Summary
by MITRE
IBM OpenPages GRC Platform 7.1, 7.2, and 7.3 is vulnerable to cross-site scripting. This vulnerability allows users to embed arbitrary JavaScript code in the Web UI thus altering the intended functionality potentially leading to credentials disclosure within a trusted session. IBM X-Force ID: 114711.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/21/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-3048 affects IBM OpenPages GRC Platform versions 7.1, 7.2, and 7.3, representing a critical cross-site scripting flaw that undermines the platform's security posture. This vulnerability resides within the web user interface of the platform, creating an attack vector that enables malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into the application's interface. The flaw specifically manifests when the platform fails to properly sanitize user input before rendering it within the web pages, allowing attackers to exploit this weakness through crafted payloads that can be executed in the context of a victim's browser session.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting as a common web application security flaw where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without adequate validation or encoding. This particular implementation allows attackers to manipulate the platform's web interface in ways that can compromise user sessions and potentially escalate privileges. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates within a trusted session context, meaning that when a user accesses the platform, their credentials and session tokens become vulnerable to exposure and manipulation. Attackers can leverage this flaw to execute malicious scripts that can capture session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it represents a significant threat to the integrity of the governance, risk, and compliance platform that IBM OpenPages provides. Organizations relying on this platform for critical business operations face potential exposure of sensitive compliance data, regulatory information, and governance metrics that could be accessed or modified by unauthorized parties. The vulnerability's presence in multiple versions of the platform suggests a systemic issue within the application's input handling mechanisms, potentially affecting numerous enterprise deployments. Given that the platform is designed for security-sensitive environments, the compromise of user sessions through this XSS vulnerability undermines the trust model that organizations rely upon for maintaining secure access controls and audit trails.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should encompass both immediate and long-term remediation approaches. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent malicious script injection, following established security practices such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and the ATT&CK framework's web application attack patterns. The platform should be updated to versions that address this specific vulnerability, and organizations should consider implementing additional security controls such as Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution capabilities. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities within the platform's web interface, while security awareness training for administrators can help prevent social engineering attacks that might exploit this vulnerability. The remediation process should also include monitoring for suspicious activities and implementing proper logging mechanisms to detect potential exploitation attempts of this XSS vulnerability.