CVE-2018-1660 in WebSphere Portal
Summary
by MITRE
IBM WebSphere Portal 7.0, 8.0, 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: 144886.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/19/2023
IBM WebSphere Portal versions 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, and 9.0 contain a cross-site scripting vulnerability that represents a critical security weakness in the web application framework. This vulnerability falls under CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental web application security flaw that occurs when user-provided input is not properly sanitized before being rendered in web pages. The vulnerability specifically affects the portal's user interface rendering mechanism, where unvalidated input from users can be executed as JavaScript code within the context of the victim's browser session.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when authenticated users can inject malicious JavaScript code through input fields or parameters that are subsequently displayed in the web interface without proper sanitization. This allows attackers to manipulate the portal's functionality and potentially establish persistent malicious code execution within the browser context of legitimate users. The attack vector typically involves crafting specially formatted input that gets processed and rendered back to the user, thereby executing the injected JavaScript code. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates within the trusted session context of authenticated users, meaning that successful exploitation can lead to credential theft, session hijacking, and unauthorized access to sensitive portal resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform session management attacks and potentially escalate privileges within the portal environment. When an authenticated user visits a page containing the malicious script, the JavaScript code executes in their browser and can capture session cookies, form data, or other sensitive information. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where WebSphere Portal serves as a central collaboration platform with access to critical business applications and data. The attack can be delivered through various means including crafted URLs, form submissions, or even through social engineering techniques that trick users into clicking malicious links.
Organizations should implement comprehensive mitigation strategies that include input validation, output encoding, and proper content security policies. The most effective immediate solution involves deploying proper input sanitization mechanisms that filter or escape user-provided content before rendering it in the web interface. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can prevent execution of unauthorized scripts even if the vulnerability is exploited. Security teams should also consider deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious input patterns. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 - Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, which describes how adversaries can use JavaScript to execute malicious code in web browsers. Organizations should also ensure that all WebSphere Portal instances are updated to the latest security patches provided by IBM, as the vendor has released fixes specifically addressing this cross-site scripting vulnerability. Regular security testing and code reviews should be implemented to identify similar input validation issues in other components of the portal infrastructure.