CVE-2018-1825 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: 150428.
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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 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 input fields. The flaw exists in the application's handling of user-supplied data that is subsequently rendered in web pages without proper sanitization or encoding, creating an environment where attacker-controlled scripts can execute within the context of legitimate user sessions. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and represents a classic example of how insecure data handling can compromise user security and application integrity.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can potentially enable session hijacking and credential theft within trusted user sessions. When authenticated users interact with compromised application components, the injected JavaScript code can access session cookies, form data, and other sensitive information that the user has submitted or that the application has stored in the browser's memory. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal authentication tokens, capture user credentials, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users with the privileges of those users. The threat is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where Rational Quality Manager is used for managing critical software testing processes and quality assurance workflows, as compromised sessions could lead to unauthorized access to test data, modification of test results, or disruption of development processes. This vulnerability directly maps to several techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1531 and T1078 categories, which focus on credential access and valid accounts exploitation.
Organizations utilizing IBM Rational Quality Manager within the affected version ranges should implement immediate mitigations to protect against exploitation of this vulnerability. The primary defense involves implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application's web interface, ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly sanitized before being rendered in web pages. Application-level protections should include the implementation of Content Security Policy headers, proper HTML encoding of dynamic content, and the use of secure coding practices that prevent direct injection of user data into executable contexts. IBM has released patches and updates to address this vulnerability, and organizations should prioritize applying these security fixes as soon as possible. Additionally, network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth measures, though these should not be considered replacements for proper code-level fixes. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious user behavior patterns and anomalous access attempts that might indicate exploitation of this vulnerability, particularly in environments where the application handles sensitive quality assurance data and test artifacts.