CVE-2016-9696 in Rhapsody DM
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Rhapsody DM 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0 is vulnerable to HTML injection. A remote attacker could inject malicious HTML code, which when viewed, would be executed in the victim's Web browser within the security context of the hosting site. IBM Reference #: 1999960.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/21/2017
IBM Rhapsody DM versions 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0 contain a critical HTML injection vulnerability that represents a significant security weakness in the software's web interface handling mechanisms. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-79, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of input during web page generation, commonly known as cross-site scripting. The flaw exists in the application's failure to properly sanitize user-supplied input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content, creating an environment where malicious HTML code can be injected and subsequently executed within victim browsers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the application processes user input through web forms or API endpoints without adequate validation or sanitization measures. When an attacker successfully injects malicious HTML code into the system, this code becomes part of the web page content that is subsequently served to legitimate users. The execution context of the injected code operates within the security boundaries of the hosting site, allowing the malicious payload to potentially access sensitive cookies, session tokens, or other browser-based resources that the legitimate user has access to. This creates a dangerous scenario where the attacker can perform actions on behalf of the victim, escalate privileges, or extract confidential information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it can enable a wide range of malicious activities that align with multiple ATT&CK tactics including initial access through web application attacks, persistence via malicious script injection, and privilege escalation by leveraging the victim's authenticated session. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to create persistent backdoors, steal user credentials, redirect victims to phishing sites, or even deploy additional malware. The remote nature of this attack vector means that exploitation can occur from anywhere on the internet, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that host their Rhapsody DM systems in publicly accessible environments.
Organizations utilizing affected IBM Rhapsody DM versions should immediately implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability. The primary remediation strategy involves applying the official IBM security patches that address the HTML injection flaw in the web interface components. Additionally, network-level protections such as web application firewalls should be deployed to monitor and filter malicious input patterns. Input validation and output encoding should be strengthened throughout the application's web interface to ensure that all user-supplied content is properly sanitized before being rendered in browser contexts. The implementation of content security policies and proper secure coding practices in future development cycles should address similar vulnerabilities in the application's architecture to prevent recurrence of such issues.