CVE-2017-1317 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: 125729.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/03/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1317 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 undermines the security posture of these enterprise quality management platforms. This vulnerability resides in the web user interface components where user input is not properly sanitized or validated before being rendered back to other users. The flaw allows attackers to inject malicious javascript code through input fields or parameters that are subsequently executed in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability operates under the weakness category of CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities where web applications fail to validate or escape user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamic content. The attack vector leverages the trust relationship between the web application and its users, enabling malicious actors to exploit the legitimate session context of authenticated users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it creates potential pathways for credential theft and session hijacking within trusted environments. When authenticated users interact with the compromised application, any malicious javascript code embedded by an attacker can access the user's session cookies, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive quality management data, test results, and project information. The vulnerability particularly affects the collaborative aspects of these tools where users frequently share test cases, defect reports, and quality metrics. Attackers could craft malicious inputs that appear legitimate to other users, causing the injected javascript to execute when victims view affected content. This creates a persistent threat where compromised users unknowingly become vectors for further attacks within the organization's quality management ecosystem. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which focuses on "Account Access Removal" and T1078 which addresses "Valid Accounts" by potentially enabling unauthorized access to privileged accounts through session manipulation.
Organizations utilizing these IBM Rational products face significant risks including data exposure, unauthorized access to quality management systems, and potential compromise of development processes that rely on accurate testing and defect tracking. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where quality management systems contain sensitive project data, test results, and development metrics that could be exploited for competitive advantage or operational disruption. IBM's identification of this vulnerability through their X-Force ID 125729 indicates the severity and potential for exploitation in real-world scenarios. The affected versions represent a substantial portion of the user base for these collaborative quality management platforms, making the vulnerability widespread across enterprise environments that depend on these tools for software quality assurance processes. Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation through official IBM security patches and consider implementing additional defensive measures such as web application firewalls, input validation controls, and user education regarding the risks of clicking on suspicious links or content within collaborative environments.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of affected systems to address the root cause of the cross-site scripting vulnerability. Organizations should also implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent javascript injection attacks, particularly in areas where user-generated content is displayed. Network segmentation and access controls can help limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments of web applications should include thorough testing for cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, with particular attention to user input fields and dynamic content rendering capabilities. The implementation of content security policies can provide additional layers of protection against malicious script execution, while monitoring and logging of user activities can help detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider the broader security implications of collaborative environments where users trust each other within the application context, as this trust model can be exploited through carefully crafted malicious inputs that appear legitimate to other users in the same session.