CVE-2019-4252 in Rational Collaborative Lifecycle Management
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Rational Collaborative Lifecycle Management 6.0 through 6.0.6.1 could allow a remote attacker to traverse directories on the system. An attacker could send a specially-crafted URL request containing "dot dot" sequences (/../) to view arbitrary files on the system. IBM X-Force ID: 159883.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/08/2023
IBM Rational Collaborative Lifecycle Management version 6.0 through 6.0.6.1 contains a directory traversal vulnerability that enables remote attackers to access files outside the intended directory structure. This flaw arises from insufficient input validation of URL requests, allowing malicious actors to exploit the system by crafting specific URLs containing dot-dot-sequence patterns. The vulnerability specifically affects the web application interface of the software, where user-supplied input is not properly sanitized before being processed. Attackers can leverage this weakness by sending malicious HTTP requests that include ../ sequences in the path parameters, effectively navigating upward through the directory hierarchy. This allows unauthorized access to sensitive files, configuration data, and potentially system resources that should remain protected. The issue represents a classic path traversal vulnerability that falls under CWE-22, which defines improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory. The attack vector operates entirely over the network without requiring any authentication, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by anyone with access to the vulnerable system. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1083 (File and Directory Discovery) and T1190 (Exploit Public-Facing Application) techniques, as attackers can discover and access files through publicly exposed web interfaces. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure, as attackers may gain access to database connection strings, user credentials, application configuration files, and other sensitive data that could enable further exploitation. The vulnerability exists in the application's handling of file paths, where relative path references are not properly validated or normalized, allowing attackers to bypass access controls and directly access files in the file system. This particular weakness affects the web server component of IBM Rational Collaborative Lifecycle Management, which serves as the primary interface for users to interact with the application's features. The affected versions span from 6.0 through 6.0.6.1, indicating that this was a persistent issue across multiple releases of the software. The vulnerability's severity is amplified by the fact that it allows arbitrary file access, meaning attackers can potentially read any file accessible to the web application process, including system files, application logs, and sensitive configuration data. IBM has addressed this issue in subsequent releases through proper input validation and sanitization of user-supplied path parameters. Organizations using affected versions should immediately apply the relevant security patches or updates to prevent exploitation. The mitigation strategy involves implementing proper input validation at the application level, ensuring that all user-supplied path parameters are strictly validated and normalized before being processed. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and access controls can provide additional layers of protection against such attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and secure coding practices in preventing directory traversal attacks, which remain one of the most common and dangerous classes of web application vulnerabilities.