CVE-2017-1791 in Rational Quality Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Rational Quality Manager 5.0 through 5.0.2 and 6.0 through 6.0.5 are 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: 137036.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/06/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1791 affects IBM Rational Quality Manager versions 5.0 through 5.0.2 and 6.0 through 6.0.5, representing a critical cross-site scripting flaw that undermines the security posture of this test management and quality assurance platform. This vulnerability resides within the web user interface of the application, creating an attack surface where malicious actors can inject arbitrary JavaScript code into the application's response. The flaw enables attackers to manipulate the intended functionality of the web interface, potentially compromising user sessions and accessing sensitive information within the trusted environment. The vulnerability is particularly concerning given that IBM Rational Quality Manager is widely used in enterprise environments for managing software quality processes and test cases, making it an attractive target for adversaries seeking to exploit session credentials and access restricted data.
The technical implementation of this cross-site scripting vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the web application's user interface components. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that are executed within the context of authenticated user sessions, effectively allowing them to perform actions as if they were legitimate users. The vulnerability specifically targets the web UI components where user-provided data is rendered without proper sanitization, creating opportunities for JavaScript injection attacks that can capture session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or execute unauthorized operations within the application. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a critical security weakness in web applications. The attack vector typically involves embedding malicious scripts in parameters, form fields, or URL components that are then processed and displayed by the application without adequate security controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it creates opportunities for session hijacking and credential theft within trusted environments. When users are authenticated to IBM Rational Quality Manager, their session cookies and authentication tokens become potentially accessible to attackers who successfully inject malicious scripts. This compromise can lead to unauthorized access to test data, modification of test cases, creation of false test results, and potentially complete system compromise if the application has elevated privileges. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in enterprise settings where quality management systems contain sensitive information about software development processes, test results, and potentially intellectual property. The IBM X-Force ID 137036 associated with this vulnerability indicates the severity level and provides additional context for security professionals monitoring this threat. Organizations using this software may face compliance violations and data breaches if attackers successfully exploit this vulnerability, as it directly impacts the integrity and confidentiality of quality management processes.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and output encoding controls to prevent JavaScript injection attacks, along with regular security updates and patches provided by IBM. The vulnerability requires proper sanitization of all user inputs and outputs within the web interface, implementing Content Security Policy headers to restrict script execution, and conducting regular security testing of the application's web components. System administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious script injection attempts. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for script injection techniques and T1531 for credentials stuffing attacks that could leverage session tokens obtained through this XSS flaw. Regular security monitoring and user education about recognizing potentially malicious links or content are essential defensive measures, as the vulnerability can be exploited through social engineering tactics where users are tricked into clicking malicious links within the application environment. The affected versions of IBM Rational Quality Manager should be updated to patched releases as soon as possible to eliminate this exposure and maintain the security of quality management processes.