CVE-2019-4456 in Daeja ViewONE
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Daeja ViewONE Professional, Standard & Virtual 5.0.5 and 5.0.6 is vulnerable to an XML External Entity Injection (XXE) attack when processing XML data. A remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability to expose sensitive information or consume memory resources. IBM X-Force ID: 163620.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/14/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-4456 affects IBM Daeja ViewONE Professional, Standard, and Virtual versions 5.0.5 and 5.0.6, representing a critical XML External Entity Injection (XXE) flaw that poses significant security risks to organizations relying on this document viewing and management platform. This vulnerability resides in the XML processing functionality of the software, where improper validation of external entities allows malicious actors to manipulate the parsing behavior of XML documents. The XXE vulnerability specifically manifests when the application processes XML data without adequate restrictions on external entity references, creating opportunities for attackers to exploit the system's XML parser.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability enables remote attackers to perform various malicious activities through the manipulation of XML input processing. An attacker can craft specially formatted XML documents that reference external resources or internal system files, potentially leading to information disclosure through the retrieval of sensitive data from the server. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data exposure, as it can also be leveraged to consume excessive memory resources, potentially leading to denial of service conditions that disrupt legitimate system operations. This dual nature of the vulnerability makes it particularly dangerous as it combines information disclosure capabilities with resource exhaustion potential.
From an operational perspective, the vulnerability presents a substantial risk to organizations utilizing IBM Daeja ViewONE solutions, as it allows remote exploitation without requiring authentication credentials. The attack surface is broad since XML processing is commonly used in document management and viewing applications for data exchange and configuration purposes. Security professionals should note that the vulnerability's impact aligns with CWE-611, which specifically addresses Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference, a well-documented weakness in XML processing systems. The potential for information disclosure and resource exhaustion creates operational challenges that could affect business continuity and data integrity.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation efforts by applying the vendor-provided patches and updates for IBM Daeja ViewONE versions 5.0.5 and 5.0.6, as recommended by IBM security advisories. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and implementation of XML input validation controls to prevent unauthorized external entity references. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit potential attack vectors and reduce the overall impact scope. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework would align with techniques such as T1566 for credential access through malicious file execution and T1499 for denial of service through resource exhaustion, emphasizing the need for comprehensive defensive measures. Additionally, organizations should review their XML processing configurations and implement proper input sanitization to prevent similar vulnerabilities in other applications and systems within their infrastructure.