CVE-2016-8911 in Kenexa LMS on Cloud
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Kenexa LMS on Cloud 13.1 and 13.2 - 13.2.4 could allow a remote attacker to hijack the clicking action of the victim. By persuading a victim to visit a malicious Web site, a remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability to hijack the victim's click actions and possibly launch further attacks against the victim.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-8911 affects IBM Kenexa Learning Management System on Cloud versions 13.1 through 13.2.4, representing a significant security flaw that enables remote attackers to manipulate user interactions within web applications. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of clickjacking or user interface redressing attacks, where malicious actors can deceive users into performing unintended actions while believing they are interacting with legitimate web content. The flaw specifically targets the web interface components of the learning management system, creating an environment where user click events can be intercepted and redirected by attackers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and inadequate protection mechanisms within the web application's user interface rendering. Attackers can craft malicious web pages that embed legitimate Kenexa LMS interfaces within transparent or semi-transparent layers, overlaying them on top of normal user interface elements. When victims attempt to click on seemingly benign interface elements, their actions are actually captured by the malicious overlay and redirected to unintended targets within the legitimate application. This manipulation occurs through the exploitation of browser features that allow for cross-origin content embedding without proper security controls.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-8911 extends beyond simple session hijacking, as it creates opportunities for more sophisticated attack chains that could compromise user accounts and sensitive learning data. An attacker who successfully hijacks click actions could potentially access restricted course materials, modify user permissions, manipulate training records, or even execute administrative functions within the LMS environment. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and can lead to unauthorized access to educational content and user information, particularly concerning employee training records and competency assessments that are often protected under privacy regulations.
Organizations utilizing IBM Kenexa LMS on Cloud should implement immediate mitigations including the deployment of Content Security Policy headers to prevent unauthorized embedding of application interfaces, implementation of X-Frame-Options headers to restrict frame loading, and regular security assessments of web application components. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-1021, which specifically addresses insufficient input validation and improper access control in web applications, and represents a clear violation of the web application security principle of user interface integrity. Additionally, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.001, where attackers leverage web-based attack surfaces to manipulate user interactions and establish persistent access to targeted systems.
Security teams should conduct comprehensive penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in web applications and ensure proper implementation of clickjacking protection mechanisms. The affected versions of IBM Kenexa LMS require immediate patching or upgrade to versions that address these user interface security flaws, as the vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited by threat actors without requiring complex technical skills. Organizations should also implement user awareness training to recognize potentially malicious websites that could exploit this vulnerability during normal web browsing activities.