CVE-2023-42011 in Sterling B2B Integrator Standard Edition
Summary
by MITRE • 06/27/2024
IBM Sterling B2B Integrator Standard Edition 6.1 and 6.2 does not restrict or incorrectly restricts frame objects or UI layers that belong to another application or domain, which can lead to user confusion about which interface the user is interacting with. IBM X-Force ID: 265508.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/27/2024
This vulnerability in IBM Sterling B2B Integrator Standard Edition affects versions 6.1 and 6.2 and represents a critical cross-site scripting and user interface deception issue. The flaw stems from inadequate restrictions on frame objects and user interface layers that should be isolated between different applications or domains. This misconfiguration allows malicious actors to manipulate the interface presentation and potentially deceive users into interacting with unintended applications or domains. The vulnerability creates a dangerous situation where users cannot reliably distinguish between legitimate and malicious interface elements, leading to potential security compromises through social engineering attacks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper handling of cross-origin resource sharing and frame isolation mechanisms within the web interface. When applications or domains attempt to embed content or communicate across boundaries, the system fails to enforce proper security boundaries that should prevent unauthorized access to interface elements. This allows attackers to inject malicious frames or UI components that appear to belong to the legitimate application while actually serving malicious purposes. The issue directly relates to CWE-74, which addresses injection flaws, and specifically targets the improper restriction of information flow within web applications.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability can enable sophisticated phishing attacks and user deception scenarios where attackers manipulate the interface to make users believe they are interacting with legitimate system components. Users may unknowingly enter credentials or sensitive information into interfaces that appear authentic but are actually controlled by malicious actors. The impact extends beyond simple information theft to potentially enabling privilege escalation attacks and unauthorized system access. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely heavily on user interface trust models and automated workflows that depend on interface integrity.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with several ATT&CK techniques including T1531 for "Account Access Removal" and T1071.001 for "Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols" through the exploitation of web interface manipulation. Organizations should implement comprehensive security controls including strict content security policy enforcement, proper frame isolation mechanisms, and regular security assessments of web interface components. Mitigation strategies should focus on enforcing strict cross-origin resource sharing policies, implementing robust interface element validation, and conducting thorough security testing of all user interface components. Additionally, organizations should consider deploying web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious frame embedding patterns to detect potential exploitation attempts.