CVE-2016-3056 in Business Process Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Business Space in IBM Business Process Manager 7.5 through 7.5.1.2, 8.0 through 8.0.1.3, and 8.5 before 8.5.7.0 CF2016.09 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via crafted content.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/09/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2016-3056 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within IBM Business Process Manager's Business Space component. This vulnerability affects multiple versions of the IBM Business Process Manager platform, specifically targeting releases 7.5 through 7.5.1.2, 8.0 through 8.0.1.3, and 8.5 before 8.5.7.0 CF2016.09. The flaw enables remote authenticated attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected systems, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Business Space framework. When authenticated users interact with the system and process crafted content, the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages. This inadequate sanitization creates an opening for attackers to inject malicious scripts that can execute in the browsers of other users who view the compromised content. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically affects the web interface components where user-generated content is processed and displayed.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling attackers to perform session hijacking, data theft, and privilege escalation within the affected environment. An authenticated attacker with access to the Business Space functionality can craft malicious payloads that persist in the application's content management system, affecting all users who subsequently view the compromised pages. This creates a persistent threat vector that can compromise user credentials, sensitive business data, and overall system integrity. The vulnerability's presence in multiple versions of IBM Business Process Manager indicates a systemic issue within the platform's security architecture that requires comprehensive remediation.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant IBM security patches and updates released to address the XSS flaw. The mitigation strategy should encompass input validation improvements, output encoding enhancements, and comprehensive security testing of user-generated content processing pathways. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and content security policies can provide additional defense-in-depth measures. According to CWE standards, this vulnerability maps to CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, while the ATT&CK framework categorizes this under T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566 for phishing techniques that could leverage this vulnerability for initial access and persistence within the business process management environment.