CVE-2018-1558 in Rational Collaborative Lifecycle Management
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Rational Collaborative Lifecycle Management 5.0 through 5.02 and 6.0 through 6.0.6 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: 142956.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/19/2023
IBM Rational Collaborative Lifecycle Management versions 5.0 through 5.02 and 6.0 through 6.0.6 contain a cross-site scripting vulnerability that represents a critical security flaw in the web-based user interface. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application's web components, allowing malicious actors to inject malicious JavaScript code through user-controllable parameters. The flaw exists at the application layer where user inputs are not properly sanitized before being rendered back to the browser, creating an avenue for attackers to execute arbitrary code within the context of a victim's browser session. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-79 as an insecure direct object reference, specifically manifesting as cross-site scripting in web applications. This weakness enables attackers to manipulate the web interface in ways that can compromise user sessions and potentially access sensitive information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can be leveraged to steal session cookies and credentials from authenticated users within the trusted application environment. When a victim visits a maliciously crafted page or interacts with compromised application functionality, the embedded JavaScript code executes in their browser context, potentially capturing authentication tokens, form data, or other sensitive information. This creates a significant risk for organizations using Rational CLM, as attackers can establish persistent access to the application's administrative and user functionalities. The vulnerability particularly affects the trusted session environment where legitimate users perform critical collaborative lifecycle management tasks, making it especially dangerous for software development teams that rely on these platforms for configuration management, requirement tracking, and project collaboration.
Security practitioners should recognize this vulnerability as a prime example of how web application flaws can be exploited to gain unauthorized access to enterprise systems. The attack vector typically involves crafting malicious input that gets reflected back to the user's browser, potentially through URL parameters or form fields that are not properly validated. The IBM X-Force ID 142956 classification indicates that this vulnerability has been recognized by the security community as requiring immediate attention. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation measures and ensure that all user-provided data is properly encoded before being rendered in the web interface. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a technique for initial access through web application attacks, specifically under the T1059.007 sub-technique for script-based attacks. Mitigation strategies should include implementing proper content security policies, deploying web application firewalls, and ensuring regular patching of the Rational CLM software to address the identified cross-site scripting vulnerability. Additionally, security awareness training for developers and administrators can help prevent the introduction of such flaws in future releases and ensure proper handling of user input within web applications.