CVE-2017-5536 in DataSynapse GridServer Manager
Summary
by MITRE
The GridServer Broker, and GridServer Director components of TIBCO Software Inc. TIBCO DataSynapse GridServer Manager contain vulnerabilities which may allow an authenticated user to perform cross-site scripting (XSS). In addition, an authenticated user could be a victim of a cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attack. Affected releases include TIBCO Software Inc.'s TIBCO DataSynapse GridServer Manager: versions up to and including 5.1.3; 6.0.0; 6.0.1; 6.0.2; 6.1.0; 6.1.1; and 6.2.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/08/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5536 affects critical components within TIBCO Software Inc.'s TIBCO DataSynapse GridServer Manager ecosystem, specifically targeting the GridServer Broker and GridServer Director modules. This security flaw represents a significant concern for organizations relying on TIBCO's grid computing platform for mission-critical data processing and distributed application management. The affected versions span across multiple release lines including 5.1.3 and all subsequent versions up to 6.2.0, indicating a widespread exposure across the product's lifecycle. The vulnerability landscape for TIBCO's grid server components demonstrates the persistent challenges in securing enterprise middleware platforms that handle sensitive data processing and distributed computing tasks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the web interfaces of the GridServer components. An authenticated user can exploit this weakness by injecting malicious scripts into web application interfaces that are not properly sanitized before rendering. This cross-site scripting vulnerability (CWE-79) allows attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of a victim's browser session, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions. The XSS implementation occurs due to inadequate sanitization of user-supplied data that flows through the application's web interface, particularly in parameters that control grid server configuration and monitoring operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution to encompass potential privilege escalation and unauthorized administrative access. An authenticated attacker could leverage the XSS vulnerability to manipulate the web interface and potentially gain access to sensitive grid server configurations, data processing parameters, and monitoring capabilities. Additionally, the presence of cross-site request forgery vulnerabilities (CWE-352) compounds the threat landscape by allowing attackers to perform unauthorized actions within the context of authenticated sessions. This dual vulnerability exposure creates a particularly dangerous scenario where an attacker could both observe and manipulate grid server operations without proper authorization, potentially leading to data integrity compromises and service disruption.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213.002 for credential access through web application vulnerabilities and T1566.001 for social engineering through web-based attacks. The affected TIBCO components operate within enterprise environments where grid server managers handle critical data processing and distributed computing tasks, making the potential impact substantial. Organizations using these vulnerable versions face risks of unauthorized access to grid server configurations, potential data exfiltration through manipulated web interfaces, and possible disruption of distributed computing services. The authentication requirement for exploitation does not mitigate the severity, as compromised user accounts or session hijacking could provide attackers with the necessary access credentials.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of affected TIBCO DataSynapse GridServer Manager versions to the latest secure releases provided by TIBCO. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding controls across all web interfaces, ensuring that user-supplied data undergoes proper sanitization before processing or display. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit exposure of grid server management interfaces to trusted administrative networks only. Regular security assessments of web application components should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other enterprise applications. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious script injection attempts can provide additional defense-in-depth measures against exploitation attempts targeting these specific vulnerabilities.