CVE-2016-9872 in Documentum D2
Summary
by MITRE
EMC Documentum D2 version 4.5 and EMC Documentum D2 version 4.6 has Reflected Cross-Site Scripting Vulnerabilities that could potentially be exploited by malicious users to compromise the affected system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/04/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-9872 affects EMC Documentum D2 versions 4.5 and 4.6, representing a critical reflected cross-site scripting flaw that exposes systems to potential exploitation by malicious actors. This vulnerability resides within the web application interface of the Documentum D2 platform, which is designed for document management and collaboration services. The affected systems process user input through web parameters without proper sanitization, creating an avenue for attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Documentum D2 web application components. When user-supplied data is reflected back to the browser without appropriate sanitization, attackers can craft malicious URLs containing script payloads that execute in the victim's browser session. This flaw operates under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, where the application fails to properly validate or encode user-controllable data that is subsequently rendered in web pages. The reflected nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious script is reflected off the web server back to the user, making it particularly dangerous as it can be delivered through email links or social engineering campaigns.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking, as it can enable attackers to perform actions on behalf of authenticated users within the Documentum D2 environment. Successful exploitation could allow malicious actors to access sensitive documents, modify system configurations, or escalate privileges within the document management system. The attack vector typically involves sending crafted URLs to target users through phishing emails or malicious websites, where the reflected payload executes in the user's browser context. This vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the Documentum D2 system, potentially compromising the entire document management infrastructure that organizations rely upon for business-critical operations.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation controls, output encoding, and web application firewalls to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability. The recommended approach involves applying the vendor-provided patches and updates for Documentum D2 versions 4.5 and 4.6, while also implementing security headers such as Content Security Policy to reduce the impact of potential XSS attacks. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of their Documentum D2 installations and review access controls to limit potential damage from successful exploitation attempts. Additionally, user education programs should be implemented to raise awareness about phishing attempts and social engineering tactics that could leverage this vulnerability, aligning with the broader ATT&CK framework's tactics related to initial access and execution phases of cyber attacks.