CVE-2017-1482 in Sterling B2B Integrator Standard Edition
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Sterling B2B Integrator Standard Edition 5.2 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: 128620.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1482 affects IBM Sterling B2B Integrator Standard Edition version 5.2, representing a critical cross-site scripting flaw that compromises the web-based user interface of this enterprise integration platform. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically targeting the web application layer where user input is not properly sanitized before being rendered back to the browser. The flaw enables attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code through input fields or parameters within the web interface, potentially manipulating the application's intended behavior and undermining the security posture of the integrated business processes.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when authenticated users interact with the web UI of IBM Sterling B2B Integrator, as the application fails to validate or escape user-supplied input before displaying it in the browser context. This allows an attacker with access to the system to craft malicious payloads that execute within the context of a victim's browser session, potentially capturing session cookies, credentials, or other sensitive information. The attack vector leverages the trust relationship between the user and the application, making it particularly dangerous as it operates within the legitimate user context. This vulnerability specifically impacts the authentication and authorization mechanisms of the platform, potentially enabling privilege escalation or unauthorized access to business-critical data flows.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-1482 extends beyond simple script execution, as it creates opportunities for attackers to perform session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration within trusted network environments. Organizations utilizing IBM Sterling B2B Integrator for critical business processes face significant risk of unauthorized data access and potential disruption of business-to-business transactions. The vulnerability's exploitation can lead to compromise of sensitive business data, disruption of integration workflows, and potential regulatory compliance violations. This weakness directly impacts the platform's security controls and can undermine the integrity of the entire B2B integration ecosystem that relies on secure communication between trading partners.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates for IBM Sterling B2B Integrator version 5.2, along with implementing additional web application firewall rules to detect and block malicious script injection attempts. Network segmentation and monitoring of web application traffic can help identify potential exploitation attempts, while user access controls and session management policies should be reviewed and strengthened. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script injection and T1531 for credential access, making it a significant concern for organizations following the MITRE ATT&CK framework for threat analysis and defense planning. Regular security assessments and input validation testing should be implemented to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components of the integration platform.