CVE-2016-9980 in Curam Social Program Management
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Curam Social Program Management 5.2, 6.0, 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: 120256.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/21/2020
IBM Curam Social Program Management versions 5.2, 6.0, and 7.0 contain a cross-site scripting vulnerability that represents a critical security flaw in the web-based user interface. This vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting attacks where malicious scripts can be injected into web applications. The flaw allows authenticated users to embed arbitrary JavaScript code within the application's web interface, effectively bypassing the intended security boundaries of the system. The vulnerability exists due to insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it in the web UI. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that, when executed, can manipulate the application's behavior and potentially steal session cookies or other sensitive information from authenticated users. The impact is particularly severe because the vulnerability operates within a trusted session context, meaning that compromised credentials could be used to gain unauthorized access to sensitive social program management data. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which focuses on credential access through manipulation of authenticated sessions. The affected versions of IBM Curam Social Program Management all share this common flaw, making it a widespread issue across the product line. The vulnerability enables attackers to perform actions such as stealing user credentials, modifying application functionality, or redirecting users to malicious websites. The attack surface is expanded due to the nature of social program management systems which often contain sensitive personal and financial data. Organizations using these versions face significant risk of data breaches and unauthorized access to their social program management systems. The vulnerability is classified as a medium to high severity issue given its potential to compromise user sessions and access sensitive information within trusted environments.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from inadequate sanitization of user input fields within the web application's interface. When users submit data through forms or other interactive elements, the application fails to properly encode or validate the input before displaying it in the user interface. This creates an opportunity for attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code that executes in the context of other users' sessions. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it affects the web UI components that are most frequently used by authenticated users, making exploitation relatively straightforward. Attackers can leverage this weakness to create persistent XSS payloads that remain active until the application is restarted or the affected pages are refreshed. The IBM X-Force ID 120256 confirms the existence of this specific vulnerability and its potential for credential theft within trusted sessions. This type of vulnerability is commonly exploited in real-world scenarios where attackers target web applications that handle sensitive data, particularly those used in government or social service programs where data protection is paramount. The exploitation requires minimal technical skill and can be accomplished through automated tools that generate the appropriate malicious payloads for injection into vulnerable input fields.
Organizations utilizing IBM Curam Social Program Management versions 5.2, 6.0, or 7.0 must implement immediate mitigations to protect against this cross-site scripting vulnerability. The primary remediation strategy involves applying the official security patches released by IBM to address the specific XSS flaw in these versions. Until patches are applied, organizations should consider implementing additional security controls such as web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious script injections. Input validation and output encoding should be strengthened across all user-facing interfaces to ensure that any potentially malicious code is properly sanitized before display. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all potential injection points within the application and ensure that proper encoding is implemented for all dynamic content. The implementation of content security policies can provide an additional layer of protection by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded within the application. Regular security monitoring and log analysis should be enhanced to detect suspicious activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing session management best practices, including short session timeouts and secure cookie attributes, to limit the damage that could occur if credentials are compromised through this vulnerability. The vulnerability represents a clear violation of security best practices and requires immediate attention to prevent potential data breaches and unauthorized access to sensitive social program management information.