CVE-2016-5948 in Kenexa LCMS Premier on Cloud
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Kenexa LCMS Premier on Cloud 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.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-5948 affects IBM Kenexa LCMS Premier on Cloud, a cloud-based learning content management system designed for enterprise organizations. This system facilitates the creation, management, and delivery of learning content within corporate environments, making it a critical component of organizational training infrastructure. The vulnerability resides within the web user interface of the application, specifically in how it processes and renders user input, creating a pathway for malicious actors to inject malicious code into the application's interface.
Cross-site scripting vulnerabilities represent a fundamental flaw in web application security architecture where the application fails to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamic web pages. In this case, the vulnerability allows attackers to inject arbitrary JavaScript code through input fields or parameters that are not adequately filtered or escaped. The flaw specifically manifests in the web UI component where user-generated content is displayed without proper sanitization measures, enabling attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of a victim's browser session.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to manipulate the intended functionality of the application in ways that can compromise user sessions and potentially access sensitive information. When a user interacts with the vulnerable application, the injected JavaScript code executes within their browser, potentially allowing attackers to steal session cookies, credentials, or other sensitive data transmitted within the trusted session. This creates a significant risk for organizations using the system, as authenticated users could have their credentials compromised without their knowledge, leading to unauthorized access to learning content, user accounts, and potentially broader system access.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and represents a classic example of how insufficient input validation can create persistent security weaknesses. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1531, which involves the use of credentials from password reuse or credential dumping, as attackers could leverage the stolen session information to escalate privileges or maintain persistent access. Organizations should consider implementing comprehensive input validation mechanisms, output encoding, and Content Security Policy headers as mitigation strategies. Additionally, regular security assessments and penetration testing of web applications can help identify similar vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by malicious actors.
The implications of this vulnerability highlight the critical importance of secure coding practices and proper input sanitization in enterprise web applications. Given that the affected system is cloud-based and used by organizations for managing sensitive training content, the potential for cascading security impacts across multiple enterprises makes this vulnerability particularly concerning. Organizations utilizing IBM Kenexa LCMS Premier on Cloud should prioritize patching this vulnerability through official IBM security updates and implement additional monitoring measures to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates how seemingly isolated web application flaws can create significant risks when combined with the trust relationships inherent in enterprise systems, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security frameworks that address both application-level and organizational security postures.