CVE-2017-5004 in RSA Identity Governance
Summary
by MITRE
EMC RSA Identity Governance and Lifecycle versions 7.0.1, 7.0.2 (all patch levels); RSA Via Lifecycle and Governance version 7.0 (all patch levels); and RSA Identity Management and Governance (IMG) version 6.9.1 (all patch levels) have Stored Cross Site Scripting vulnerabilities that could potentially be exploited by malicious users to compromise an affected system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/27/2020
The CVE-2017-5004 vulnerability represents a critical stored cross site scripting flaw discovered in EMC RSA Identity Governance and Lifecycle products, specifically affecting versions 7.0.1 and 7.0.2, as well as RSA Via Lifecycle and Governance version 7.0, and RSA Identity Management and Governance version 6.9.1. This vulnerability resides within the web-based administrative interfaces of these identity management solutions, which are widely deployed in enterprise environments to manage user identities, access controls, and governance policies. The flaw allows authenticated attackers with sufficient privileges to inject malicious script code into application input fields that are then stored and subsequently executed when other users view the affected content. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting issues, and represents a significant risk to enterprise security infrastructure given the privileged nature of the affected applications.
The technical exploitation of this stored XSS vulnerability occurs when an attacker with valid credentials manipulates input fields within the identity governance interfaces to inject malicious JavaScript code. This code becomes permanently stored within the application's database or configuration files and executes whenever legitimate users access the affected pages. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be leveraged to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized administrative actions, or redirect users to malicious domains. The attack vector typically involves crafting malicious payloads that can bypass input sanitization mechanisms and persist across multiple user sessions, making the impact more severe than typical XSS vulnerabilities that require immediate exploitation. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious code remains active even after the initial injection, allowing for sustained compromise of the affected systems.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-5004 extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking, as these identity governance platforms typically contain highly sensitive information about user access rights, authentication mechanisms, and privileged account details. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially escalate privileges, gain access to additional systems, or manipulate access control policies to maintain persistent access to the enterprise environment. This vulnerability directly impacts the integrity and confidentiality of identity management systems, which serve as critical security controls for enterprise access management. The compromised systems could be used to establish backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive identity data, or facilitate lateral movement within the network. Organizations using these platforms face potential regulatory compliance violations and significant security risk exposure when this vulnerability remains unpatched, as identity governance systems are fundamental to maintaining security posture and audit compliance.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-5004 should prioritize immediate patch deployment from EMC RSA, as this vulnerability requires vendor-supplied fixes to address the underlying code flaws. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to these administrative interfaces and establish strict access controls for privileged accounts. Input validation and output encoding should be strengthened across all user input fields, with particular attention to sanitizing data before storage. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious script code patterns in application logs and user activity monitoring for unusual administrative behaviors. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for scripting and T1566.002 for phishing, as attackers may use this vulnerability to establish persistent access or deliver malicious payloads through compromised administrative sessions. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other enterprise applications, while implementing web application firewalls can provide additional protection layers against exploitation attempts.