CVE-2018-1445 in WebSphere Portal
Summary
by MITRE
IBM WebSphere Portal 8.0.0 through 8.0.0.1, 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: 139907.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/10/2021
IBM WebSphere Portal versions 8.0.0 through 8.0.0.1, 8.5, and 9.0 contain a cross-site scripting vulnerability that represents a critical security weakness in the web application framework. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the portal's user interface components, allowing malicious actors to inject malicious JavaScript code through user-controllable parameters. The flaw exists in the portal's handling of user-supplied data that is subsequently rendered in web pages without proper sanitization, creating an environment where attackers can manipulate the application's behavior and compromise user sessions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious input that gets processed and displayed within the web interface without adequate security controls. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which specifically addresses the failure to properly encode or escape user input before incorporating it into web page content. This weakness allows attackers to inject client-side scripts that execute in the context of other users' browsers, potentially enabling session hijacking, credential theft, and unauthorized access to sensitive information. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe because it affects multiple major versions of the WebSphere Portal platform, indicating a widespread issue that could affect numerous enterprise deployments.
The operational consequences of this vulnerability extend beyond simple script injection, as it creates opportunities for sophisticated attacks that can compromise the integrity of trusted user sessions. Attackers can leverage this flaw to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or modify the portal's functionality to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability's potential for credential disclosure makes it especially dangerous in enterprise environments where WebSphere Portal serves as a central authentication and authorization platform. According to ATT&CK framework category T1059.007 - Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, this vulnerability enables adversaries to execute malicious JavaScript code in the context of the victim's browser, potentially leading to full compromise of user sessions and access to sensitive corporate data.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including input validation controls, output encoding mechanisms, and regular security updates from IBM. The recommended approach involves deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious JavaScript payloads, implementing Content Security Policy headers to restrict script execution, and ensuring all portal components are updated to versions that address this specific vulnerability. Additionally, administrators should conduct thorough security assessments of their portal configurations and implement proper user input sanitization controls to prevent similar issues from occurring in other parts of their web applications. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing comprehensive input validation across all web application components to prevent exploitation of such fundamental security flaws.