CVE-2017-1102 in Quality Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Quality Manager (RQM) 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0 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: 120663.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/27/2020
IBM Quality Manager versions 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0 contain a cross-site scripting vulnerability that represents a critical security flaw in the web-based user interface. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws where untrusted data is incorporated into web pages without proper validation or sanitization. The flaw allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code through input fields or parameters that are not adequately filtered before being rendered in the browser, creating a persistent threat vector that can compromise user sessions and data integrity.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to manipulate the intended functionality of the application interface. When users interact with the affected RQM system, they may unknowingly execute malicious code that can capture session cookies, credentials, or other sensitive information transmitted within the trusted session context. This type of attack aligns with the ATT&CK framework's technique T1539, which describes credentials harvesting through web browsers, and represents a significant risk to organizations relying on IBM Quality Manager for test management and quality assurance processes.
The vulnerability's exploitation potential increases when considering that IBM Quality Manager is typically used in enterprise environments where users maintain persistent sessions with elevated privileges. Attackers can leverage this weakness to establish persistent access to quality management systems, potentially compromising test data integrity, access controls, and overall system security posture. The impact is particularly concerning given that RQM is designed for collaborative environments where multiple users contribute test cases, results, and quality metrics, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to gain unauthorized access to sensitive quality assurance information.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and output encoding for all user-supplied data, regular security updates from IBM, and network segmentation to limit the attack surface. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper web application security practices and highlights the necessity of regular security assessments for enterprise collaboration platforms. Organizations utilizing IBM Quality Manager should prioritize patching affected versions and consider implementing additional security controls such as content security policies and web application firewalls to protect against similar cross-site scripting vulnerabilities in their broader application environments.