CVE-2017-1552 in InfoSphere BigInsights
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Infosphere BigInsights 4.2.0 and 4.2.5 is vulnerable to link injection. By persuading a victim to click on a specially-crafted URL link, a remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability to conduct various attacks against the vulnerable system, including cross-site scripting, cache poisoning or session hijacking. IBM X-Force ID: 131396.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/21/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1552 affects IBM Infosphere BigInsights versions 4.2.0 and 4.2.5, representing a critical link injection flaw that enables remote attackers to manipulate system behavior through crafted URL references. This vulnerability resides in the web-based interface of the BigInsights platform, which serves as a comprehensive data analytics solution for enterprise environments. The flaw allows attackers to inject malicious links that can redirect users to harmful destinations, fundamentally compromising the integrity of user navigation within the system's web interface.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization of URL parameters within the BigInsights web application. When users interact with the platform through web interfaces, the system processes URL references without sufficient verification of their legitimacy or safety. This weakness creates an opportunity for attackers to construct malicious URLs that contain crafted payloads designed to exploit the vulnerable system. The injection occurs at the parameter level where user-supplied URLs are processed without proper validation, allowing attackers to manipulate the intended destination of navigation links within the application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple redirection attacks, encompassing multiple sophisticated threat vectors that can severely compromise system security. Remote attackers leveraging this vulnerability can execute cross-site scripting attacks by embedding malicious scripts within the injected links, potentially gaining unauthorized access to user sessions or stealing sensitive information. Cache poisoning becomes possible when attackers manipulate cached content through the injected links, potentially affecting multiple users who access the compromised system. Session hijacking represents another significant risk, where attackers can capture valid session tokens and impersonate legitimate users within the BigInsights environment, potentially gaining administrative privileges or access to confidential data analytics.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-601, which specifically addresses URL redirect or forward vulnerabilities, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with the attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1566 technique for Phishing and T1190 for Exploit Public-Facing Application. The vulnerability's exploitation pathway creates a persistent threat vector that can be leveraged across multiple attack phases, from initial reconnaissance through to privilege escalation within the affected system. Organizations utilizing IBM Infosphere BigInsights must consider this vulnerability as part of their broader security posture assessment, particularly in environments where sensitive data analytics and business intelligence are processed.
The mitigation strategy for this vulnerability requires immediate patching of affected systems to address the root cause of the link injection flaw. IBM has released security updates specifically targeting this vulnerability, and organizations should implement these patches as a priority. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing URL filtering mechanisms and web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious URL patterns. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities within the broader system architecture, particularly in web interfaces and user interaction points. The implementation of proper input validation and output encoding practices within the application codebase represents a fundamental defensive measure that should be applied to prevent similar injection vulnerabilities from occurring in other components of the BigInsights platform or related systems.