CVE-2018-1535 in Rational Rhapsody Design Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Rational Rhapsody Design Manager 5.0 through 5.0.2 and 6.0 through 6.0.5 and IBM Rational Software Architect Design Manager 5.0 through 5.0.2 and 6.0 through 6.0.1 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: 124557.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/18/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-1535 affects IBM Rational Rhapsody Design Manager and IBM Rational Software Architect Design Manager versions ranging from 5.0 through 5.0.2 and 6.0 through 6.0.5. This cross-site scripting vulnerability represents a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of web-based application interfaces. The flaw exists within the web user interface components of these enterprise modeling tools, where user input is not properly sanitized before being rendered back to the browser. Such vulnerabilities fall under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, making them particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where sensitive design data and development information are handled.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into the web application's user interface through crafted input fields or parameters. When legitimate users interact with the affected application, the embedded JavaScript executes within their browser context, potentially compromising the trust relationship between the user and the application. This execution context enables attackers to access session cookies, form data, and other sensitive information that users might have entered into the application. The vulnerability specifically targets the web-based components of these design management systems, where users typically enter requirements, design specifications, and other critical development artifacts that may contain sensitive organizational information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it can enable more sophisticated attacks within the targeted environment. Attackers can leverage the stored XSS capability to hijack user sessions, redirect victims to malicious sites, or even modify the application's behavior to serve as a stepping stone for further exploitation. In enterprise settings where these tools are used for critical software design and architecture work, the compromise of a single user session could provide access to sensitive design documents, system specifications, and development roadmaps. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates within trusted sessions, meaning that compromised users may not immediately recognize that their session has been hijacked or that their input has been manipulated.
Organizations utilizing these IBM Rational products should implement immediate mitigations including input validation, output encoding, and proper sanitization of user-supplied content before rendering it in the web interface. The recommended approach involves implementing Content Security Policy headers to restrict script execution, employing proper HTML escaping for all dynamic content, and ensuring that all user input is validated against strict whitelists of acceptable characters and formats. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious JavaScript injection patterns within application logs. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing comprehensive application security testing throughout the software development lifecycle, particularly for enterprise tools that handle sensitive architectural and design information. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1059.007 technique for script injection, highlighting its potential for privilege escalation and data exfiltration within compromised environments.