CVE-2016-8968 in Jazz Foundation
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Jazz Foundation 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 Reference #: 1998515.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/25/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-8968 affects IBM Jazz Foundation, a collaborative software development platform that provides integrated tools for requirements management, test management, and project tracking. This cross-site scripting vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in the web-based user interface of the platform, where improper input validation allows malicious actors to inject malicious JavaScript code into web pages viewed by other users. The vulnerability exists within the web application's handling of user-supplied data, specifically in how it processes and renders input fields within the user interface.
The technical flaw stems from insufficient sanitization of user input within the web application's rendering mechanisms. When users submit data through various interface components such as comments, descriptions, or other editable fields, the application fails to properly validate and escape special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This allows an attacker to craft malicious payloads that, when executed in the context of a victim's browser session, can manipulate the web page behavior. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a well-established category of web application security flaws that enables attackers to inject client-side scripts into web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant, particularly within enterprise environments where IBM Jazz Foundation is used for collaborative development and project management. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can execute JavaScript code within the context of a user's session, potentially leading to credential theft, session hijacking, or data exfiltration. The vulnerability is especially dangerous because it operates within a trusted session context, meaning that the injected JavaScript code can access the same permissions and privileges as the legitimate user. This could enable attackers to access sensitive project information, manipulate requirements or test cases, or even escalate privileges within the application. The attack vector requires minimal user interaction, as the malicious code executes automatically when other users view affected pages, making it particularly insidious.
Organizations using IBM Jazz Foundation should implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability. The primary defense mechanism involves implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding for all user-supplied data within the web application. This includes sanitizing all input fields, implementing proper HTML escaping for dynamic content, and employing content security policies to prevent unauthorized script execution. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious script injection attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, which emphasizes the importance of preventing script injection attacks in web applications. IBM has released patches and updates to address this vulnerability, and organizations should ensure they are running the latest supported versions of the Jazz Foundation platform. Additionally, security awareness training for developers and administrators can help prevent similar issues in customizations or extensions of the platform, as this vulnerability often stems from improper implementation of web application security controls in custom code deployments.