CVE-2017-1277 in Rational Quality Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Rational Quality Manager and IBM Rational Collaborative Lifecycle Management 5.0 through 5.0.2 and 6.0 through 6.0.5 are 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: 124752.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/03/2023
IBM Rational Quality Manager and IBM Rational Collaborative Lifecycle Management versions 5.0 through 5.0.2 and 6.0 through 6.0.5 contain a cross-site scripting vulnerability that represents a critical security flaw in the web-based user interface. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application's web components, allowing malicious actors to inject malicious JavaScript code through user-controllable input fields. The flaw exists at the application layer and specifically affects the web UI rendering process where user-supplied data is not properly sanitized before being displayed back to users. This vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which defines cross-site scripting as a weakness that occurs when an application includes untrusted data in a new web page without proper validation or escaping, or when it reuses a plain text string in a dangerous context.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it can lead to session hijacking and credential theft within trusted sessions. An attacker could craft malicious payloads that exploit the XSS vulnerability to steal session cookies or authentication tokens from unsuspecting users who are logged into the Rational Quality Manager or Collaborative Lifecycle Management systems. The injected JavaScript code could potentially redirect users to malicious sites, capture keystrokes, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users without their knowledge. This represents a significant threat to the confidentiality and integrity of the development and testing processes that these tools support, as attackers could gain unauthorized access to sensitive project data, test results, and configuration information. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where these tools are used for managing critical software development lifecycle activities and where unauthorized access could compromise entire development pipelines.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate implementation of input validation and output encoding controls throughout the application's web interface. Organizations should apply the vendor-provided security patches and updates as soon as they become available, which would address the underlying XSS flaws in the affected versions. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth measures by filtering malicious payloads before they reach the application servers. Security headers including Content Security Policy should be implemented to restrict script execution and prevent unauthorized code injection. Regular security testing including dynamic application security testing and manual penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the Rational suite. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices and adheres to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script injection, highlighting the need for comprehensive application security controls that protect against client-side attacks. Organizations should also implement user education programs to raise awareness about the risks of clicking on suspicious links or entering untrusted data into web applications, as social engineering remains a common attack vector for exploiting such vulnerabilities.