CVE-2017-1593 in DOORS Next Generation
Summary
by MITRE
IBM DOORS Next Generation (DNG/RRC) 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0 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: 132494.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/25/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1593 affects IBM DOORS Next Generation (DNG/RRC) versions 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0, representing a critical cross-site scripting flaw that compromises the web-based user interface of this requirements management and traceability platform. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically manifesting as a reflected XSS attack vector that enables malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into the application's web interface. The affected system serves as a collaborative environment for managing complex requirements and traceability data within organizations, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to exploit user trust relationships.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the application fails to properly sanitize user input within the web UI components, allowing malicious payloads to be executed in the context of authenticated user sessions. When a victim interacts with a specially crafted URL or form submission containing malicious JavaScript code, the application processes this input without adequate validation or encoding, thereby executing the injected script within the victim's browser. This flaw enables attackers to manipulate the intended functionality of the application, potentially capturing session cookies, credentials, or other sensitive information transmitted within the trusted session context. The vulnerability specifically impacts the web-based interface components that handle user inputs and display dynamic content, creating an attack surface where untrusted data flows directly into the browser environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can facilitate more sophisticated attacks within the enterprise environment where DOORS Next Generation is deployed. An attacker with successful exploitation can leverage the compromised session to access sensitive requirements data, manipulate traceability relationships, or potentially escalate privileges within the application. The threat landscape for this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 for Account Access Removal and T1213 for Data from Information Repositories, as the compromised system can serve as a gateway to extract valuable business-critical requirements information. Organizations using this platform face significant risk of data exfiltration, requirement manipulation, and potential disruption of development workflows that depend on accurate traceability data.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-1593 should prioritize immediate patch deployment from IBM, as the vendor has released security fixes addressing this specific XSS vulnerability. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms within their web applications, ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly sanitized before being processed or displayed. Network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth layers to monitor and filter suspicious traffic patterns. Security teams should conduct regular vulnerability assessments of their DOORS Next Generation deployments and implement proper access controls to limit the impact of potential exploitation. The remediation process must include thorough testing of the applied patches to ensure they do not introduce compatibility issues with existing business processes while maintaining the integrity of the requirements management environment.