CVE-2017-1602 in RSA DM
Summary
by MITRE
IBM RSA DM (IBM Rational Collaborative Lifecycle Management 5.0 and 6.0) could allow an authenticated user to access settings that they should not be able to using a specially crafted URL. IBM X-Force ID: 132625.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/22/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1602 affects IBM Rational Collaborative Lifecycle Management versions 5.0 and 6.0, representing a critical access control flaw that undermines the security posture of enterprise software development lifecycle management systems. This issue manifests through improper authorization checks within the application's web interface, allowing authenticated users to exploit a path traversal mechanism that grants them access to restricted administrative functions and configuration settings. The flaw specifically exploits how the system processes user requests through crafted Uniform Resource Locators that bypass standard permission controls, effectively enabling privilege escalation from regular user accounts to administrative privileges without proper authentication mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and access control enforcement within the application's URL routing system. When users submit requests through specially crafted URLs, the application fails to properly verify whether the requesting user possesses adequate privileges to access the targeted administrative resources. This weakness falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-285 which specifically addresses improper authorization in software applications. The vulnerability exploits the fundamental principle of least privilege by allowing users to access system resources beyond their designated permissions, creating a pathway for unauthorized information disclosure and potential system compromise.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to organizations utilizing IBM Rational Collaborative Lifecycle Management for managing their software development processes. An authenticated attacker could potentially access sensitive configuration data, modify system settings, manipulate project information, or even escalate privileges to gain full administrative control over the application. The attack vector requires only a user to be authenticated within the system, making it particularly dangerous as it leverages existing legitimate user sessions rather than requiring additional credential compromise. This vulnerability directly impacts the integrity and confidentiality of development lifecycle management processes, potentially exposing proprietary code repositories, project timelines, and business-critical development data.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates released by IBM to address this vulnerability. Network segmentation and monitoring of web application traffic can help detect suspicious URL patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing principle of least privilege access controls and regular security audits of user permissions can reduce the potential impact if exploitation occurs. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation, and represents a classic example of how inadequate access control mechanisms can create persistent security weaknesses in enterprise applications. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar authorization flaws in other enterprise systems and web applications that may be susceptible to similar exploitation patterns.