CVE-2018-1914 in Rational Engineering Lifecycle Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Rational Engineering Lifecycle 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: 152738.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/01/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-1914 affects IBM Rational Engineering Lifecycle Manager versions 5.0 through 6.0.6, representing a critical cross-site scripting flaw that compromises the web-based user interface of this enterprise-level requirements management and collaboration platform. This vulnerability resides within the application's input validation mechanisms, specifically in how the system processes user-supplied data within web forms and interface elements. The flaw enables attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code through crafted input fields, which then executes within the context of authenticated user sessions, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this tool for software development lifecycle management.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user inputs in the web interface components of IBM Rational Engineering Lifecycle Manager. When users submit data through web forms or interact with interface elements, the application fails to properly validate and escape special characters that could be interpreted as executable JavaScript code. This weakness allows attackers to craft malicious payloads that, when processed by the application, are rendered as active script content within the browser of authenticated users. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as "Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')", which is a well-documented category of web application security flaws that have been extensively studied and categorized by the CWE project. The specific nature of this flaw enables attackers to manipulate the application's behavior through client-side script injection, potentially compromising the integrity of user sessions and sensitive data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it creates a pathway for credential theft and session hijacking within trusted user environments. When authenticated users interact with the compromised application, their browser sessions become vulnerable to manipulation by attackers who can execute scripts that capture session cookies, steal authentication tokens, or redirect users to malicious sites. This risk is particularly severe in enterprise environments where Rational Engineering Lifecycle Manager is used for managing sensitive software development projects, as the stolen credentials could provide access to proprietary code repositories, requirement documents, and other confidential development artifacts. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 for "Account Access Removal" and T1078 for "Valid Accounts" through session hijacking, as it enables unauthorized access to legitimate user sessions. Organizations utilizing this platform face potential data breaches, intellectual property theft, and disruption of development workflows when this vulnerability is exploited in the wild.
Organizations should immediately apply the vendor-provided security patches and updates released by IBM to address this vulnerability, as the company has acknowledged the issue and provided remediation measures through their security advisory process. System administrators should also implement additional security controls including web application firewalls, input validation rules, and enhanced monitoring of user session activities to detect potential exploitation attempts. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive security awareness training for developers and administrators who interact with the Rational Engineering Lifecycle Manager platform, as well as regular security assessments of web applications to identify similar vulnerabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts, while maintaining detailed audit logs of user activities within the application to facilitate incident response and forensic analysis when necessary.