CVE-2018-1715 in Maximo Asset Management
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Maximo Asset Management 7.6 through 7.6.3 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: 147003.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/02/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-1715 affects IBM Maximo Asset Management versions 7.6 through 7.6.3, representing a critical cross-site scripting flaw that undermines the application's web interface security. This vulnerability resides within the web user interface component of the asset management platform, which is designed to provide enterprise users with comprehensive asset tracking and maintenance capabilities. The flaw enables malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into the web application's response, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the Maximo web application's user interface components. When users interact with the application's web interface, the system fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before rendering it back to the browser. This omission creates an environment where attackers can craft malicious payloads that execute within the context of authenticated user sessions. The vulnerability specifically affects the web UI rendering process where user data is processed and displayed without adequate security controls to prevent script injection attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it creates potential pathways for credential theft and session hijacking within trusted environments. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can manipulate the web interface to capture user credentials, session tokens, or other sensitive information transmitted within the trusted session context. This risk is particularly concerning for enterprise asset management systems where users typically maintain elevated privileges and access to critical business data. The vulnerability's exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to asset records, maintenance scheduling, and financial tracking information that organizations rely upon for operational continuity.
Organizations utilizing affected IBM Maximo versions should implement immediate mitigations including input validation enhancements, output encoding improvements, and comprehensive security testing of web interface components. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and represents a clear violation of secure coding practices for web application development. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to technique T1531, which involves the use of unauthorized system access to gain persistent access to systems through web application exploitation. IBM has issued patches and updates to address this vulnerability, emphasizing the importance of timely security maintenance and the potential for attackers to leverage such flaws for broader network infiltration. The incident underscores the critical need for continuous security assessment and the implementation of defense-in-depth strategies to protect enterprise asset management systems from web-based attack vectors.