CVE-2017-1761 in WebSphere Portal
Summary
by MITRE
IBM WebSphere Portal 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, and 9.0 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: 136005.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/03/2021
IBM WebSphere Portal versions 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, and 9.0 contain a cross-site scripting vulnerability that represents a critical security risk for organizations relying on this enterprise portal platform. This vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, making it a well-documented and serious class of security weakness. The flaw exists in the web user interface where user input is not properly sanitized or validated before being rendered back to other users, creating an environment where malicious actors can inject arbitrary JavaScript code into the portal's interface.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows attackers to craft malicious payloads that, when executed within a victim's browser session, can manipulate the portal's intended functionality. This occurs because the application fails to properly escape or filter user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamic web content. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates within a trusted session context, meaning that once a user is authenticated to the WebSphere Portal, an attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute malicious scripts that have full access to the user's session. This opens the door to credential theft, session hijacking, and potential lateral movement within the organization's network infrastructure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it can enable sophisticated attack vectors that exploit the trust relationship between users and the portal application. Attackers can use this vulnerability to create persistent backdoors, harvest sensitive information from authenticated sessions, or even redirect users to malicious sites that appear legitimate within the portal's trusted environment. The attack surface is broad since the vulnerability affects multiple versions of the portal platform, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns. Organizations using these versions face significant risk of unauthorized access to corporate data, especially since the portal typically serves as a central hub for enterprise collaboration and information sharing.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate application of IBM's security patches and updates, which would address the underlying input validation flaws in the portal's web interface rendering components. Organizations should implement comprehensive input sanitization measures at multiple layers including web application firewalls, content security policies, and proper output encoding mechanisms. Network segmentation and monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect suspicious activities that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning to identify similar issues in other enterprise applications, as it aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566 for credential access through social engineering. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular security training for administrators and users to recognize potential phishing attempts that may exploit this vulnerability, as the attack chain typically involves user interaction with malicious content within the trusted portal environment.