CVE-2016-8927 in Tivoli Application Dependency Discovery Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Tivoli Application Dependency Discovery Manager 7.2.2 and 7.3 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: 118540.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/31/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-8927 affects IBM Tivoli Application Dependency Discovery Manager versions 7.2.2 and 7.3, representing a critical cross-site scripting flaw that compromises the security integrity of the web-based user interface. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a fundamental web application security weakness that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The specific implementation flaw occurs within the web UI rendering components of the application, where input validation mechanisms fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before it is processed and displayed to end users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it creates a potential pathway for credential theft and session hijacking within trusted user environments. When an attacker successfully injects malicious JavaScript code through the vulnerable interface, they can manipulate the web application's behavior to capture session cookies, login credentials, or other sensitive information transmitted within the trusted session context. This particular vulnerability is especially concerning because it affects a dependency discovery management tool that typically operates within enterprise environments where users have elevated privileges and access to critical infrastructure components. The attack vector likely involves crafting malicious input through the web forms or parameters that are not properly validated or sanitized before being rendered back to the user's browser.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 for "Account Access Removal" and T1566 for "Phishing" as attackers could leverage the XSS flaw to establish persistent access or harvest credentials from authenticated sessions. The exploitation process would typically involve an attacker identifying the vulnerable input fields within the Tivoli Application Dependency Discovery Manager interface, crafting malicious JavaScript payloads that can capture user credentials or session tokens, and then executing these payloads through a targeted user interaction. The IBM X-Force ID 118540 further validates the severity of this issue, indicating that security researchers have recognized this as a significant threat requiring immediate attention.
Organizations utilizing affected versions of IBM Tivoli Application Dependency Discovery Manager should prioritize immediate remediation through the application of official patches provided by IBM, as the vulnerability creates a direct pathway for attackers to escalate privileges and access sensitive enterprise data. The recommended mitigations include implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms, deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads, and conducting regular security assessments of the web application interface. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing additional security controls such as content security policies to prevent unauthorized script execution, and establish monitoring procedures to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input sanitization in web applications and highlights the need for continuous security testing of enterprise management tools that handle sensitive operational data.