CVE-2017-17678 in Remedy Mid Tier
Summary
by MITRE • 05/19/2021
BMC Remedy Mid Tier 9.1SP3 is affected by cross-site scripting (XSS). A DOM-based cross-site scripting vulnerability was discovered in a legacy utility.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/22/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-17678 affects BMC Remedy Mid Tier version 9.1SP3 and represents a significant security weakness that could be exploited by malicious actors to compromise user sessions and access sensitive data. This issue falls under the category of cross-site scripting attacks, specifically a DOM-based variant that leverages client-side script execution to manipulate the document object model of web applications. The vulnerability was discovered within a legacy utility component of the BMC Remedy Mid Tier platform, which serves as a critical middleware layer connecting various business applications and databases within enterprise environments.
The technical flaw manifests as a DOM-based cross-site scripting vulnerability that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. Unlike traditional reflected or stored XSS vulnerabilities, DOM-based XSS occurs when the vulnerability exists in the client-side code rather than the server-side response, making it particularly challenging to detect and mitigate. The attack vector likely involves manipulation of URL parameters or other client-side data that gets processed by JavaScript functions without proper sanitization or validation. This type of vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as "Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')", specifically within the DOM-based XSS category.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it could enable attackers to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, redirect victims to malicious websites, or extract sensitive information from the application's data structures. In enterprise environments utilizing BMC Remedy Mid Tier, this vulnerability could potentially compromise critical business processes, expose confidential customer data, and provide attackers with persistence mechanisms within the organization's IT infrastructure. The legacy nature of the affected utility component suggests that the vulnerability may have existed for an extended period without detection, creating potential for prolonged exposure and exploitation.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through official BMC patches and updates, while implementing additional defensive measures such as web application firewalls and input validation controls. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript' and T1566 for 'Phishing', as attackers could leverage this vulnerability to execute malicious scripts and potentially gain unauthorized access to enterprise resources. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify similar issues in other legacy components and implement proper security monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, user education regarding suspicious web behavior and regular security updates should be emphasized as part of the overall defense strategy.