CVE-2017-1329 in Quality Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Quality Manager (RQM) 5.0.x and 6.0 through 6.0.5 are vulnerable to HTML injection. A remote attacker could inject malicious HTML code, which when viewed, would be executed in the victim's Web browser within the security context of the hosting site. IBM X-Force ID: 126231.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/03/2023
IBM Quality Manager versions 5.0.x and 6.0 through 6.0.5 contain a critical HTML injection vulnerability that enables remote attackers to execute malicious code within victim browsers. This flaw resides in the application's handling of user-supplied input that is subsequently rendered in web pages without proper sanitization or encoding. The vulnerability allows an attacker to inject HTML content that gets executed in the context of the victim's browser session, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or further exploitation of the compromised system. The issue stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the RQM application's web interface components. According to CWE-79, this vulnerability falls under the category of Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) where malicious scripts are injected into otherwise trusted websites. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no privileged access or authentication to exploit, making it accessible to any remote user who can interact with the vulnerable application. The security implications extend beyond simple script execution as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform actions such as stealing cookies, modifying page content, redirecting users to malicious sites, or even executing arbitrary commands on the target system. The vulnerability affects the web-based user interface of IBM Quality Manager, where user input is processed and displayed without adequate sanitization. This creates a persistent risk for organizations using these versions, as the injection can occur through various input fields including comments, test case descriptions, or any other user-editable content areas within the application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables attackers to compromise the integrity and confidentiality of the quality management processes within IBM Quality Manager. Organizations relying on this platform for software testing and quality assurance activities face potential exposure of sensitive test data, test case configurations, and execution results. The attack scenario typically involves an attacker identifying input fields within the RQM interface and injecting malicious HTML payloads that execute when other users view the affected content. This creates a chain reaction where compromised users unknowingly become vectors for further attacks within the organization's network. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, where attackers can execute code through browser-based vectors. The impact extends to business continuity as compromised quality management data can lead to incorrect testing results, false positives in quality assessments, and overall degradation of software quality assurance processes. Organizations may experience reputational damage if sensitive project information is exposed through successful exploitation of this vulnerability. The risk is compounded by the fact that the vulnerability affects multiple versions of the software, requiring widespread patching efforts across different deployment environments.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate deployment of IBM's security patches and updates released to address the HTML injection flaw. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms at multiple layers of their application architecture to prevent malicious content from being stored or executed. Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules should be configured to detect and block common HTML injection patterns targeting the affected application components. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications within the organization's attack surface. Input sanitization measures including HTML escaping, content security policies, and proper encoding of user-supplied data should be implemented across all web applications. The implementation of a robust security monitoring system can help detect anomalous user behavior or suspicious input patterns that may indicate attempted exploitation. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful attacks and establish incident response procedures specifically addressing XSS vulnerabilities. Additionally, user education and awareness programs should emphasize the importance of not clicking on suspicious links or viewing untrusted content within the application environment. Regular security training for developers and administrators on secure coding practices and vulnerability prevention techniques is essential for reducing the risk of similar issues in future software deployments. The remediation process should also include thorough testing of patches and updates in isolated environments before deployment to production systems to ensure no regressions or compatibility issues are introduced.