CVE-2016-5890 in Sterling B2B Integrator
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in IBM Sterling B2B Integrator 5.2 before 5020500_14 and 5.2 06 before 5020602_1 allows remote authenticated users to change arbitrary passwords via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/13/2019
The CVE-2016-5890 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within IBM Sterling B2B Integrator versions 5.2 before 5020500_14 and 5.2 06 before 5020602. This vulnerability operates as a server-side XSS attack that enables authenticated remote attackers to manipulate password reset functionality through unspecified vectors. The flaw resides in the application's handling of user input within the password change mechanism, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary code in the context of the victim's browser session. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-79 indicates a failure to properly sanitize user-supplied input, allowing malicious scripts to be injected and executed within the web application's context.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple XSS exploitation, as it specifically targets the password change functionality of the B2B integration platform. An authenticated attacker could leverage this weakness to modify arbitrary user passwords, effectively compromising the authentication mechanisms of the entire system. This capability undermines the fundamental security model of the platform, as it allows attackers to gain unauthorized access to user accounts and potentially escalate privileges within the B2B integration environment. The vulnerability's presence in the password management functionality aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531, which describes the use of unauthorized access to modify system or network resources, particularly focusing on credential access and privilege escalation vectors.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an authenticated user session, which reduces the attack surface compared to fully unauthenticated exploits but still represents a significant risk within enterprise environments where user credentials are frequently used for system access. The unspecified vectors suggest that the vulnerability may manifest through multiple input points within the password change workflow, including but not limited to username fields, password confirmation inputs, or associated metadata fields. The attack would typically involve crafting malicious input that, when processed by the application, gets stored and subsequently executed in the victim's browser context, potentially redirecting them to malicious sites or executing scripts that steal session cookies or credentials.
Organizations utilizing IBM Sterling B2B Integrator should immediately implement the vendor-provided patches and updates to address this vulnerability, as the risk of credential compromise and unauthorized access remains high. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive input validation and output encoding for all user-supplied data within password change interfaces, following secure coding practices that prevent XSS attacks through proper sanitization of input parameters. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and security monitoring solutions can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches in enterprise integration platforms, as these systems often handle sensitive business data and require robust protection against authenticated attack vectors that can lead to complete system compromise.