CVE-2016-5932 in Connections
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Connections 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, and 5.5 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 Reference #: 1998294.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/03/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-5932 affects IBM Connections versions 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, and 5.5, representing a critical cross-site scripting flaw that compromises the security integrity of the web-based collaboration platform. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting attacks where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without proper validation or sanitization. The flaw exists within the web user interface of IBM Connections, creating an exploitable entry point that enables malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code directly into the application's web pages.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the IBM Connections application. When users submit content or interact with the web interface, the application fails to adequately sanitize user-provided data before rendering it in web pages. This inadequate sanitization allows attackers to embed malicious JavaScript payloads that execute within the context of other users' sessions. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates within a trusted session environment, meaning that successful exploitation could potentially lead to credential theft, session hijacking, and unauthorized access to sensitive corporate data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, creating significant risks for organizations relying on IBM Connections for collaboration and document sharing. Attackers could leverage this flaw to steal session cookies, capture user credentials, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The Trusted Session aspect of the vulnerability means that compromised users could be exploited without requiring additional authentication steps, making the attack surface particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where IBM Connections serves as a central collaboration platform. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for JavaScript execution and T1531 for credential access through session manipulation.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including input validation enhancements, output encoding improvements, and comprehensive security testing of the web interface components. The recommended approach involves deploying web application firewalls to filter malicious payloads, implementing strict content security policies, and ensuring proper sanitization of all user inputs before rendering in web pages. Additionally, IBM released specific patches and fixes for this vulnerability that should be applied immediately to prevent exploitation. Security teams should also consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts and establish incident response procedures for handling such security events. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining secure coding practices and regular security assessments in enterprise collaboration platforms, particularly those handling sensitive business data and user credentials within trusted session environments.