CVE-2016-5888 in Interact
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Interact 8.6, 9.0, 9.1, and 10.0 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: 115084.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/25/2020
IBM Interact versions 8.6, 9.0, 9.1, and 10.0 contain a critical cross-site scripting vulnerability that represents a significant security risk to organizations utilizing this web-based application platform. This vulnerability falls under CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which specifically addresses the failure to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into web pages. The flaw exists within the web user interface where user-supplied data is not adequately validated or escaped before being rendered back to users, creating an environment where malicious actors can inject arbitrary JavaScript code.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when authenticated users interact with the IBM Interact web interface and submit malicious input through various input fields or parameters. When the application processes this input without proper sanitization, the injected JavaScript executes within the context of other users' browser sessions, potentially compromising the integrity of the trusted session. This cross-site scripting vulnerability enables attackers to manipulate the web application's behavior in ways that can lead to credential theft, session hijacking, and unauthorized access to sensitive information. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning because it affects multiple major versions of the IBM Interact platform, suggesting a systemic issue in the application's input handling mechanisms.
The operational implications of this vulnerability extend beyond simple data theft to encompass complete session compromise and potential lateral movement within affected networks. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, which would allow them to impersonate legitimate users and gain access to restricted functionalities within the IBM Interact environment. This represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege and can lead to unauthorized administrative access if the compromised sessions belong to privileged users. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 - Account Access Removal, as compromised credentials can be used to maintain persistent access or escalate privileges within the targeted environment.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and output encoding controls to prevent the injection of malicious scripts into the web interface. The recommended approach involves implementing proper HTML escaping for all user-supplied input before rendering it in web pages, which directly addresses the underlying CWE-79 weakness. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit the sources from which scripts can be executed, providing an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of regular security updates and patch management, as IBM has likely released remediation measures for this specific issue in subsequent releases of the Interact platform. Organizations should also conduct thorough security testing of their web applications to identify similar input validation weaknesses that could be exploited in other components of their technology stack.