CVE-2018-1759 in Rational Quality Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Rational Quality Manager 5.0 through 6.0.6 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: 148613.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/01/2023
IBM Rational Quality Manager versions 5.0 through 6.0.6 contains a cross-site scripting vulnerability that represents a critical security weakness in the web-based user interface. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application's web components, allowing malicious actors to inject malicious JavaScript code through user-controllable input fields. The flaw exists in the application's handling of user-provided data that is subsequently rendered in web pages without proper sanitization, creating an environment where attackers can execute arbitrary code in the context of a victim's browser session. This vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it enables attackers to manipulate the application's intended behavior and potentially compromise user sessions. When users interact with the vulnerable application, malicious JavaScript code can be executed within their browser, allowing attackers to steal session cookies, credentials, or other sensitive information transmitted within the trusted session. The vulnerability particularly affects authenticated users who have access to the Rational Quality Manager interface, making it a serious concern for organizations that rely on this quality management tool for software testing and project tracking. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious input that gets stored and later executed when other users view the affected pages, creating a persistent threat vector.
The attack surface is broad given that Rational Quality Manager is used for managing software quality processes, where users frequently input test cases, defect reports, and other data that gets displayed in web interfaces. This vulnerability can be exploited through various vectors including defect reporting forms, test case creation interfaces, and any other input fields that accept user-generated content. The threat model aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which focuses on the use of malicious code injection to gain unauthorized access to systems. Organizations using this software are particularly at risk as the vulnerability can be leveraged to establish persistent access to quality management systems, potentially compromising the integrity of software testing processes and exposing sensitive project data. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data theft to include potential disruption of quality assurance workflows and compromise of development environments where the tool is integrated.
Organizations should immediately apply the vendor-provided security patches and updates to remediate this vulnerability. Additional mitigations include implementing proper input validation at all user-facing interfaces, enforcing strict output encoding for all dynamic content, and establishing network-based security controls such as web application firewalls. Regular security assessments of the application's web interfaces should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities, and user access controls should be reviewed to minimize the impact of potential exploitation. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of secure coding practices and regular security testing of web applications to prevent similar issues in the future.