CVE-2016-3055 in FileNet Workplace
Summary
by MITRE
IBM FileNet Workplace 4.0.2 before 4.0.2.14 LA012 allows remote authenticated users to read arbitrary files or cause a denial of service (memory consumption) via an XML document containing an external entity declaration in conjunction with an entity reference, related to an XML External Entity (XXE) issue.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/14/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-3055 represents a critical XML External Entity (XXE) flaw discovered in IBM FileNet Workplace 4.0.2 before version 4.0.2.14 LA012. This security weakness resides within the application's processing of XML documents and exposes the system to potential exploitation by authenticated remote attackers who can leverage malformed XML inputs to manipulate the application's behavior. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the application processes XML documents containing external entity declarations combined with entity references, creating a pathway for unauthorized data access and system disruption. The flaw falls under the broader category of insecure deserialization issues and aligns with CWE-611, which addresses improper restriction of XML external entity references. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to organizations relying on IBM FileNet Workplace for document management and workflow automation, as it enables attackers to potentially access sensitive files and system resources that should remain protected. The XXE attack vector allows adversaries to perform server-side request forgery attacks, potentially accessing local files, conducting internal network scans, or causing resource exhaustion through memory consumption. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure to include denial of service conditions that can severely disrupt business operations, particularly in environments where document processing and workflow automation are critical components of daily operations. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1213.002 highlights its potential for data access and extraction through external entity references. The attack scenario involves an authenticated user submitting a specially crafted XML document containing malicious external entity declarations that reference local files or network resources. When the application processes this XML, it resolves the external entities, potentially exposing system files, configuration data, or internal network resources to the attacker. The memory consumption aspect of this vulnerability enables attackers to perform resource exhaustion attacks that can lead to system instability or complete service disruption, making this issue particularly dangerous in production environments where system availability is paramount. Organizations utilizing IBM FileNet Workplace must understand that this vulnerability represents a fundamental flaw in XML processing that can be exploited to bypass normal access controls and gain unauthorized system access. The XXE vulnerability creates a pathway for attackers to escalate privileges and access sensitive data, potentially compromising the integrity and confidentiality of the entire document management system. Security teams should recognize that this vulnerability can be particularly challenging to detect and remediate, as it often requires careful analysis of XML processing code and configuration settings. The remediation process involves updating to the patched version 4.0.2.14 LA012 or implementing proper XML parser configurations that disable external entity resolution. Additionally, organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit the impact of potential exploitation, while also conducting regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other systems. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure coding practices and proper input validation in enterprise applications, particularly those handling complex data formats like XML. Organizations should consider implementing automated security testing tools that can detect XXE vulnerabilities in their applications and establish security awareness training for developers to prevent similar issues in future software development cycles. The widespread nature of XML processing in enterprise applications makes this vulnerability particularly concerning, as similar flaws may exist in other systems that process external entity references.