CVE-2016-6035 in Rational Quality Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Rational Quality Manager 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 X-Force ID: 116896.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/25/2020
IBM Rational Quality Manager contains a cross-site scripting vulnerability that represents a critical security weakness in the web user interface. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, where the application fails to properly validate or sanitize user input before rendering it in web pages. The flaw enables malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code through input fields or parameters that are subsequently executed in the context of other users' browsers within the same application session. The vulnerability specifically affects the web-based interface of Rational Quality Manager, making it susceptible to attacks that can manipulate the intended functionality of the application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution to potentially compromise user sessions and sensitive data. When attackers successfully exploit this XSS flaw, they can manipulate the web application's behavior to steal session cookies, credentials, or other sensitive information from authenticated users. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates within a trusted session context, meaning that the injected JavaScript code runs with the privileges and permissions of the victim user. This allows attackers to perform actions on behalf of legitimate users, potentially accessing restricted data or modifying test cases and quality management information. The IBM X-Force ID 116896 indicates this vulnerability was recognized and tracked within IBM's security monitoring systems.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with several techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to initial access and credential access phases. Attackers can leverage this XSS vulnerability to establish persistent access to quality management systems, potentially compromising the integrity of test results and quality assurance processes. The attack surface is significant as Rational Quality Manager is used in enterprise environments where quality management and testing data often contains sensitive business information. Organizations using this tool face risks of data exfiltration, session hijacking, and potential lateral movement within their networks through the compromised application interface.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the web application. Organizations should deploy proper content security policies to prevent unauthorized script execution and ensure that all user-supplied data is sanitized before being rendered in web pages. The application should implement proper secure coding practices including the use of context-sensitive escaping for all dynamic content and regular security assessments of the web interface. Additionally, network segmentation and monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Regular patch management and security updates are essential to address this vulnerability, as IBM would have released specific patches to remediate the XSS flaw in affected versions of Rational Quality Manager.