CVE-2017-1494 in Business Process Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Business Process Manager 8.5 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: 128692.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/27/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1494 affects IBM Business Process Manager version 8.5, representing a critical cross-site scripting flaw that compromises the security integrity of the web-based user interface. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a fundamental web application security weakness that occurs when an application incorporates untrusted data into web pages without proper validation or escaping mechanisms. The flaw specifically resides in the web user interface components of IBM Business Process Manager, where user-supplied input is not adequately sanitized before being rendered back to the browser, creating an exploitable vector for malicious actors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows an attacker to inject malicious JavaScript code through input fields or parameters within the web interface. When the vulnerable application processes and displays this malicious content without proper sanitization, the injected script executes within the context of the victim's browser session. This cross-site scripting attack leverages the trust relationship between the user and the application, enabling attackers to manipulate the intended functionality of the web application. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates within a trusted session context, meaning that any credentials or sensitive information processed within the authenticated user's session could potentially be exposed to the attacker.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation, as it creates opportunities for credential theft and session hijacking attacks. When an attacker successfully injects malicious JavaScript code, they can potentially access session cookies, form data, or other sensitive information that the authenticated user has submitted or that the application has stored in the browser's memory. This capability significantly undermines the confidentiality and integrity of user sessions, potentially allowing attackers to impersonate legitimate users and gain unauthorized access to business process management functionalities. The attack can be executed through various vectors including crafted URLs, form submissions, or even through social engineering techniques that trick users into executing malicious payloads.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-1494 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's web interface. Organizations should ensure that all user-supplied data is properly validated and sanitized before being processed or displayed, with particular attention to HTML encoding and JavaScript escaping of dynamic content. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded and executed within the application context. IBM Business Process Manager users should also consider implementing proper web application firewall rules that can detect and block suspicious input patterns associated with cross-site scripting attempts. Additionally, regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other components of the application, with particular emphasis on following secure coding practices that align with industry standards such as those recommended by the Open Web Application Security Project and OWASP. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect enterprise business process management systems from sophisticated web-based attacks.