CVE-2020-4366 in Planning Analytics
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Planning Analytics Local 2.0 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: 178965.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/21/2020
IBM Planning Analytics Local 2.0 contains a cross-site scripting vulnerability that represents a critical security weakness in the web user interface component of the application. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws where web applications fail to properly validate or escape user input before rendering it in web pages. The flaw enables attackers to inject malicious javascript code through the web interface, potentially compromising the integrity of the application's user experience and the security of authenticated sessions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection as it creates opportunities for session hijacking and credential theft within trusted user sessions. When authenticated users interact with the vulnerable web interface, they become susceptible to attacks that can capture their session tokens or other sensitive authentication data. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which focuses on credential access through the exploitation of web application vulnerabilities, particularly those that allow attackers to manipulate user sessions and extract confidential information.
Attackers can leverage this vulnerability by crafting malicious input that gets executed within the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to unauthorized access to planning analytics data and administrative functions. The vulnerability's exploitation requires user interaction with the affected web interface, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users frequently access the planning analytics application. The IBM X-Force ID 178965 further validates the severity of this weakness and its potential impact on enterprise planning analytics environments.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and output encoding controls to prevent javascript code execution in user-supplied data. The application should enforce strict sanitization of all user inputs and implement proper content security policies to prevent unauthorized script execution. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious script injection attempts. Regular security updates and patches from IBM should be applied immediately to address this vulnerability and prevent potential exploitation by malicious actors.