CVE-2017-1522 in Content Navigator
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Content Navigator & CMIS 2.0.3, 3.0.0, and 3.0.1 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: 129832.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/15/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1522 affects IBM Content Navigator and CMIS 2.0.3, 3.0.0, and 3.0.1 versions, representing a critical cross-site scripting flaw that undermines the security posture of enterprise content management systems. This vulnerability resides within the web user interface components of these IBM products, creating an attack vector that enables malicious actors to inject malicious JavaScript code into the application's response. The flaw specifically manifests when user-supplied input is not properly sanitized before being rendered in the web interface, allowing attackers to manipulate the application's behavior through crafted payloads. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-79 indicates a weakness in the application's input validation and output encoding mechanisms, where the system fails to adequately filter or escape user-provided data before incorporating it into dynamic web content. This cross-site scripting vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited through various attack vectors including direct injection into form fields, URL parameters, or any other input mechanism that accepts user data and subsequently displays it within the web interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation, as it creates conditions that could lead to credential theft and session hijacking within trusted environments. When an attacker successfully injects JavaScript code into the web application, they can potentially access sensitive session cookies, user credentials, or other authenticated data that would normally be protected within the trusted session context. The vulnerability's exploitation capability allows for the execution of malicious scripts in the context of the victim's browser, enabling attackers to perform actions such as stealing authentication tokens, redirecting users to malicious sites, or even modifying content displayed to other users. This threat is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where IBM Content Navigator serves as a central content management platform, as successful exploitation could compromise access to sensitive corporate documents and data repositories. The vulnerability's potential for credential disclosure makes it especially dangerous when users are authenticated to the system, as the malicious script could capture session information and transmit it to an attacker-controlled server.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-1522 should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's codebase, aligning with defense-in-depth principles and industry best practices. Organizations should immediately apply the vendor-provided security patches and updates released by IBM to address this vulnerability, as these fixes typically involve enhanced sanitization of user input and proper encoding of output data to prevent script injection. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can serve as an additional protective layer by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded and executed within the browser context. Network-based security controls such as web application firewalls should also be configured to detect and block suspicious script injection attempts, particularly targeting common XSS attack patterns and payload signatures. Regular security testing including dynamic application security testing and manual penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in the application's codebase, while also ensuring that security controls remain effective against evolving attack techniques. Organizations should also implement proper security awareness training for developers to prevent similar input validation flaws in future application development cycles, emphasizing the importance of input sanitization and output encoding practices. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script injection and T1531 for credential access, highlighting the need for comprehensive security measures that address both the immediate vulnerability and broader attack surface considerations.