CVE-2024-39726 in Engineering Insights
Summary
by MITRE • 11/15/2024
IBM Engineering Lifecycle Optimization - Engineering Insights 7.0.2 and 7.0.3 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.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/20/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-39726 affects IBM Engineering Lifecycle Optimization - Engineering Insights version 7.0.2 and 7.0.3, representing a critical XML External Entity Injection (XXE) flaw that exposes the system to significant security risks. This vulnerability falls under CWE-611, which specifically addresses XXE attacks where an application processes XML data without proper validation of external entities, creating an attack surface that can be exploited by malicious actors. The flaw exists in the XML processing component of the engineering insights platform, which is designed to handle various data formats including XML for configuration management and data exchange purposes.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows a remote attacker to craft malicious XML payloads that reference external entities or external DTDs during the XML parsing process. When the system processes these malformed XML inputs, it attempts to resolve external references, potentially leading to information disclosure through sensitive data exposure or resource exhaustion via memory consumption. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it can be executed without authentication, making it accessible to any remote user who can submit XML data to the affected system. This vulnerability specifically targets the XML parser within the engineering insights platform, which is commonly used for importing project data, configuration files, and other structured information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it can be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks including server-side request forgery, internal network reconnaissance, and denial of service conditions. Attackers could potentially access internal system files, credentials stored in configuration files, or sensitive project data that would normally be protected within the organization's network boundaries. The memory consumption aspect of the vulnerability could also lead to service disruption, making it a valuable tool for attackers seeking to perform denial of service attacks against the engineering insights platform. According to ATT&CK framework technique T1592.001, this vulnerability enables initial access and reconnaissance activities, while T1499.004 describes the potential for resource exhaustion attacks.
Organizations utilizing IBM Engineering Lifecycle Optimization - Engineering Insights 7.0.2 and 7.0.3 should immediately implement mitigations including disabling external entity processing in XML parsers, implementing strict input validation for all XML data, and applying the latest security patches provided by IBM. The recommended approach involves configuring XML parsers to reject external entity declarations and DTD processing, which directly addresses the root cause of the XXE vulnerability. Additionally, network segmentation and monitoring should be implemented to detect anomalous XML processing activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls with XXE detection capabilities and establish proper access controls to limit the potential impact of any successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper XML parsing security measures in enterprise applications that handle sensitive engineering data and configuration information.