CVE-2017-1313 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: 125724.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/03/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1313 affects IBM Rational Quality Manager and IBM Rational Collaborative Lifecycle Management versions 5.0 through 5.0.2 and 6.0 through 6.0.5, representing a critical cross-site scripting flaw that exposes these enterprise quality management platforms to significant security risks. This vulnerability resides within the web user interface components of these applications, creating an exploitable vector that allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into the application's response. The flaw specifically manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user input before rendering it within the web interface, creating a persistent XSS attack surface that can be leveraged by attackers to manipulate the intended behavior of the application. The vulnerability has been categorized under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which focuses on credential access through web-based attacks. The security implications extend beyond simple script injection as the vulnerability can be exploited to execute malicious code within the context of a user's session, potentially compromising the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive data.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability enables attackers to craft malicious payloads that, when executed within a victim's browser session, can capture session cookies, credentials, or other sensitive information transmitted between the user and the application. This occurs because the vulnerable applications do not adequately validate or escape user-provided input before displaying it in the web interface, allowing attackers to inject JavaScript code that executes in the context of the authenticated user's session. The attack typically involves embedding malicious scripts within input fields, URLs, or other user-controllable parameters that are subsequently rendered by the application. When a legitimate user accesses a page containing the malicious script, the code executes in their browser, potentially allowing the attacker to steal session tokens, modify application data, or perform actions on behalf of the user. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where these applications are used for managing sensitive quality assurance data, test cases, and collaborative development processes, as successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to critical project information and intellectual property.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond immediate credential theft to encompass broader security implications for organizations using these IBM applications. Enterprises relying on Rational Quality Manager and Collaborative Lifecycle Management for managing software development lifecycles face potential exposure of sensitive test data, quality metrics, and development artifacts that could be accessed or modified by attackers. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple versions of the software indicates a systemic issue within the application's input handling mechanisms, requiring comprehensive remediation efforts across affected systems. Organizations may experience business disruption through potential data breaches, regulatory compliance violations, and damage to their software development processes. The vulnerability's exploitation capability means that even users with limited privileges could potentially escalate their access within the application, making it a particularly concerning flaw for organizations with strict security requirements and compliance mandates. Security teams must consider the potential for this vulnerability to be used as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks, including privilege escalation and lateral movement within the enterprise network.
Organizations affected by CVE-2017-1313 should prioritize immediate remediation through official IBM security patches and updates that address the cross-site scripting vulnerability in the affected versions of Rational Quality Manager and Collaborative Lifecycle Management. The mitigation strategy should include implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application's web interface components to prevent user-supplied data from being executed as JavaScript code. Network security controls such as web application firewalls and content security policies should be deployed to provide additional layers of protection against XSS attacks. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other enterprise applications, particularly those with similar architectures and input handling patterns. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual user behavior or patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, and incident response procedures should be updated to include specific protocols for handling XSS-related security events. Organizations should also consider implementing security awareness training for developers and administrators to prevent the introduction of similar vulnerabilities in custom applications and to ensure proper security practices during software development lifecycle processes. The vulnerability's classification under both CWE-79 and ATT&CK T1531 emphasizes the need for comprehensive security measures that address both the technical implementation flaws and the broader threat landscape surrounding credential access attacks.