CVE-2016-5889 in Interact
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Interact 8.6, 9.0, 9.1, and 10.0 is vulnerable to cross-site request forgery which could allow an attacker to execute malicious and unauthorized actions transmitted from a user that the website trusts. IBM X-Force ID: 115085.
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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 request forgery vulnerability that allows attackers to manipulate authenticated user sessions without their knowledge. This vulnerability falls under CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery flaws in web applications. The flaw exists in the application's failure to properly validate and authenticate requests originating from different domains, creating an avenue for malicious actors to exploit trust relationships between users and the web application.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient anti-CSRF token mechanisms within the application's request processing pipeline. When legitimate users interact with the IBM Interact interface, their session cookies are automatically included with every request, but the system does not adequately verify that requests originate from authorized sources. Attackers can craft malicious web pages or emails containing embedded links or scripts that, when clicked by an authenticated user, automatically submit requests to the vulnerable IBM Interact application. This allows unauthorized actions to be performed with the privileges of the logged-in user, potentially leading to data manipulation, unauthorized access, or session hijacking.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it can enable attackers to perform critical administrative functions within the IBM Interact environment. An attacker could potentially modify user permissions, delete sensitive data, or alter system configurations that would otherwise require explicit authorization. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates silently in the background, with users remaining unaware of the malicious activities occurring during their normal browsing sessions. This creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited repeatedly without detection, making it a significant concern for organizations relying on IBM Interact for business-critical operations.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability, including immediate patching of affected IBM Interact versions to the latest security releases. The implementation of robust anti-CSRF token mechanisms should be enforced across all user-facing interfaces, ensuring that each request includes a unique, unpredictable token that validates the authenticity of the user's intent. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing Content Security Policy headers, browser-based security controls, and regular security audits to detect and prevent similar vulnerabilities. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious links and T1078 for valid accounts usage, making it a critical target for both defensive and offensive security operations. The vulnerability also aligns with the principle of least privilege enforcement, as proper implementation of CSRF protection would prevent unauthorized privilege escalation through session manipulation attacks.