CVE-2017-1498 in Connections
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Connections 5.5 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: 129020.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2021
IBM Connections 5.5 contains a cross-site scripting vulnerability that represents a critical security flaw in the web user interface component of the platform. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application's web framework, allowing malicious actors to inject malicious JavaScript code through user input fields or parameters. The vulnerability specifically affects the web UI components where user-generated content is rendered without proper sanitization, creating an attack surface that can be exploited by remote attackers.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability enables attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of a victim's browser session. When legitimate users interact with the vulnerable application, the malicious scripts are executed in their browser, potentially compromising the integrity of the web application and the confidentiality of user data. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can be leveraged to hijack user sessions, steal authentication tokens, and perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users. This particular weakness falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a fundamental web application security issue.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it can lead to complete compromise of user sessions within the trusted environment of IBM Connections. Attackers can exploit this flaw to access sensitive information, manipulate data, and potentially escalate privileges within the application. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows for credential disclosure within a trusted session, meaning that attackers can obtain session cookies or authentication tokens that grant them access to user accounts. This type of attack aligns with ATT&CK technique T1539, which focuses on credentials from password storage, and demonstrates how XSS vulnerabilities can be weaponized for credential theft.
Organizations using IBM Connections 5.5 should implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability. The most effective approach involves implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the web application, ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly sanitized before being rendered in the browser. Additionally, organizations should deploy Content Security Policy headers to limit the sources from which scripts can be executed, and implement proper session management controls including secure cookie attributes and session timeout mechanisms. IBM has released patches and fixes for this vulnerability that should be applied immediately, and organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious script injection attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect against common web application vulnerabilities.