CVE-2016-9732 in Curam Social Program Management
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Curam Social Program Management 6.0, 6.1, 6.2 and 7.0 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: 119761.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/10/2021
IBM Curam Social Program Management versions 6.0 through 7.0 contains a cross-site scripting vulnerability that represents a critical security weakness in the web-based user interface. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, where the application fails to properly validate and sanitize user input before rendering it in web pages. The flaw specifically affects the web UI components that process user-supplied data, allowing malicious actors to inject malicious JavaScript code through crafted input fields or parameters. When victims interact with the compromised application, the injected scripts execute in the context of their current session, potentially compromising the integrity of the application and the confidentiality of sensitive data. The vulnerability enables attackers to manipulate the intended functionality of the application by executing arbitrary code within the victim's browser, which can lead to session hijacking and credential theft. This weakness is particularly dangerous because it operates within a trusted session context, meaning the malicious code executes with the privileges and permissions of the authenticated user. The vulnerability affects all supported versions of the Curam Social Program Management platform, making it a widespread concern for organizations utilizing these specific releases. According to IBM X-Force ID 119761, the attack vector leverages the application's insufficient input validation mechanisms that fail to properly encode or escape user-provided content before displaying it to other users. This creates an environment where an attacker can craft malicious payloads that persist within the application's data storage and execute whenever other users view the affected content. The impact extends beyond simple data manipulation as the compromised session can be exploited to access sensitive information, modify data, or perform unauthorized actions on behalf of legitimate users. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Scripting, where adversaries leverage web-based scripting languages to compromise systems. Organizations running these vulnerable versions face significant risk of unauthorized access and data breaches, particularly in environments where sensitive social program data is processed and stored within the Curam platform. The attack surface is broad as the vulnerability can be exploited through various input points within the web interface, including forms, URL parameters, and potentially file uploads. The remediation approach requires immediate patching of the affected versions or implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent malicious script injection. Without proper mitigation, the vulnerability creates a persistent threat that can be exploited by attackers with minimal technical expertise, making it a high-priority concern for security teams managing social program management systems.