CVE-2017-1532 in DOORS
Summary
by MITRE
IBM DOORS 9.5 and 9.6 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: 130411.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1532 affects IBM DOORS versions 9.5 and 9.6, representing a critical cross-site scripting flaw that undermines the security posture of the application's web interface. This vulnerability resides within the web user interface component of IBM DOORS, which is designed to facilitate requirements management and traceability in software development environments. The flaw enables malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into the application's web pages, thereby compromising the integrity of the user session and potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive information. The vulnerability specifically impacts the web-based components of DOORS, making it accessible through standard web browser interactions rather than requiring specialized attack vectors.
The technical implementation of this cross-site scripting vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the web UI components of IBM DOORS. When users interact with the application through web interfaces, the system fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it within web pages. This insufficient sanitization allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript payloads that execute within the context of authenticated user sessions. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as a cross-site scripting flaw, specifically representing a reflected XSS vulnerability where malicious input is immediately reflected back to the user without proper encoding. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in enterprise applications like DOORS, which handle sensitive requirements data and often contain credentials within trusted sessions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can lead to complete session hijacking and credential disclosure within trusted user contexts. When authenticated users interact with maliciously crafted content, the injected JavaScript can access session cookies, form data, and other sensitive information that the browser stores within the application context. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal user credentials, modify requirements data, or escalate privileges within the DOORS environment. The threat is compounded by the fact that DOORS is commonly used in regulated environments where requirements traceability is critical, making the potential for data corruption or unauthorized access particularly severe. This vulnerability directly maps to attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1531 for credential access and T1203 for input validation attacks, demonstrating how the flaw can be exploited to gain unauthorized access to sensitive enterprise data.
Organizations using IBM DOORS 9.5 and 9.6 should immediately implement mitigations including input validation controls, output encoding mechanisms, and web application firewalls to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability. The recommended approach involves applying IBM's official security patches and updates as soon as they become available, while also implementing additional security controls such as content security policies to prevent script execution. Network segmentation and monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect potential exploitation attempts, and user education regarding the risks of clicking untrusted links within the DOORS environment should be emphasized. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other components of the application stack, as this vulnerability demonstrates how insufficient input validation can create persistent security risks in enterprise web applications. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of implementing proper security controls in web-based enterprise applications, particularly those handling sensitive business data and requirements traceability information.