CVE-2022-40753 in InfoSphere Information Server
Summary
by MITRE • 11/16/2022
IBM InfoSphere Information Server 11.7 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: 236688.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/16/2022
IBM InfoSphere Information Server version 11.7 contains a cross-site scripting vulnerability that represents a critical security weakness in the web-based user interface. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, where the application fails to properly validate and sanitize user input before rendering it in web pages. The flaw specifically affects the web UI components that process user-supplied data, creating an opening for malicious actors to inject malicious JavaScript code that executes within the context of authenticated sessions. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates within a trusted session environment where users have legitimate access rights to the system, making it easier for attackers to escalate their privileges and gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. The security implications extend beyond simple script injection as the malicious code can manipulate the browser's behavior to capture user credentials, session tokens, or other sensitive data that flows through the authenticated interface. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, as it enables attackers to execute JavaScript code within the victim's browser context. The IBM X-Force ID 236688 further validates the severity and potential impact of this flaw, indicating that it could be exploited to compromise user sessions and extract confidential information from within the trusted environment.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to find a suitable input field or parameter within the InfoSphere Information Server web interface that does not properly sanitize user input. Once identified, the attacker can craft malicious JavaScript payloads that are then executed when other users view the affected page or interact with the compromised data. The vulnerability essentially bypasses the normal security boundaries that should protect authenticated sessions, allowing attackers to inject code that can monitor user interactions, capture keystrokes, or manipulate the application's functionality. This type of attack can be particularly insidious because it leverages the trust relationship between the user and the application, making it difficult for users to recognize that their session has been compromised. The impact is amplified when considering that InfoSphere Information Server typically handles sensitive enterprise data, making the potential for credential theft and data exposure particularly severe. The vulnerability demonstrates a failure in input validation and output encoding practices that should be implemented according to secure coding guidelines and industry standards for web application security.
Organizations utilizing IBM InfoSphere Information Server 11.7 must implement immediate mitigations to protect against this cross-site scripting vulnerability. The most effective approach involves implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms that sanitize all user-supplied data before it is processed or displayed in the web interface. This includes implementing proper HTML escaping and JavaScript encoding for all dynamic content that originates from user inputs. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the sources from which scripts can be loaded and executed within the application context. Additionally, regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the information server infrastructure. The mitigation strategy should align with NIST SP 800-53 security controls and follow the OWASP Top Ten security guidelines for preventing cross-site scripting attacks. Regular updates and patches from IBM should be applied immediately upon availability, as the vendor has likely released security fixes for this specific vulnerability. Network monitoring and intrusion detection systems should be configured to detect potential exploitation attempts through anomalous JavaScript code patterns or unusual data flow patterns that could indicate successful exploitation of this vulnerability.