CVE-2016-5980 in TRIRIGA Application Platform
Summary
by MITRE
IBM TRIRIGA Application Platform 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-2016-5980 affects IBM TRIRIGA Application Platform, a comprehensive enterprise application platform designed for business process management and enterprise resource planning. This platform serves organizations across various industries including manufacturing, healthcare, and government sectors, making the security implications particularly significant. The vulnerability manifests as a cross-site scripting flaw that compromises the web-based user interface of the application, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system's trust relationships.
The technical flaw resides in the platform's insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within its web user interface components. When user-supplied data is not properly sanitized before being rendered in web pages, attackers can inject malicious javascript code through various input vectors including form fields, URL parameters, or API endpoints. This weakness falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically representing a stored XSS vulnerability where malicious scripts persist in the application's database and execute whenever legitimate users access the affected pages. The vulnerability enables attackers to manipulate the intended functionality of the application by injecting malicious code that executes in the context of authenticated user sessions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation, creating serious risks for organizations relying on IBM TRIRIGA for critical business operations. When attackers successfully exploit this vulnerability, they can execute javascript code within the context of trusted user sessions, potentially leading to credential theft, session hijacking, and unauthorized access to sensitive business data. The attack surface is particularly concerning because the platform typically handles confidential enterprise information including financial records, employee data, and operational metrics. The vulnerability can be exploited by attackers with minimal privileges, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple user roles exist with varying levels of access control.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability effectively. The primary mitigation strategy involves implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's web interface, ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly sanitized before being processed or displayed. This approach aligns with the OWASP Top Ten security principles and specifically addresses the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter. Additionally, organizations should deploy web application firewalls and implement content security policies to prevent unauthorized script execution. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities across the application's codebase, while user access controls should be strictly enforced to limit the impact of potential exploitation. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and following secure coding practices throughout the software development lifecycle.