CVE-2024-49337 in OpenPages with Watson
Summary
by MITRE • 02/20/2025
IBM OpenPages with Watson 8.3 and 9.0 IBM OpenPages
is vulnerable to HTML injection, caused by improper validation of user-supplied input of text fields used to construct workflow email notifications. A remote authenticated attacker could exploit this vulnerability using HTML tags in a text field of an object to inject malicious script into an email which would be executed in a victim's mail client within the security context of the OpenPages mail message. An attacker could use this for phishing or identity theft attacks.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/20/2025
IBM OpenPages with Watson versions 8.3 and 9.0 contains a critical html injection vulnerability that stems from inadequate validation of user-supplied input within text fields used for workflow email notifications. This flaw resides in the application's handling of user-generated content that gets embedded into email templates, creating a pathway for malicious actors to inject html code and javascript payloads. The vulnerability specifically affects the workflow notification system where text fields are directly incorporated into email messages without proper sanitization or encoding mechanisms. When an authenticated attacker submits malicious html content into these text fields, the system processes the input without adequate filtering, allowing the injected code to persist within the email notification structure.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a well-established pattern that aligns with CWE-79 - Cross-Site Scripting and CWE-116 - Improper Encoding or Escaping of Output. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that contain html tags and javascript code within text fields of objects within the OpenPages system. When the workflow engine generates email notifications, it incorporates these unvalidated inputs directly into the email content, creating a persistent cross-site scripting vector. The malicious code executes within the security context of the victim's mail client when the email is opened, potentially allowing for session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious websites. This attack vector represents a significant threat to the confidentiality and integrity of the system as it enables attackers to compromise user sessions and extract sensitive information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple phishing attempts and represents a serious threat to organizational security posture. Remote authenticated attackers can exploit this weakness to conduct sophisticated social engineering campaigns that appear legitimate to recipients, as the malicious emails originate from trusted OpenPages systems. The vulnerability creates opportunities for attackers to establish persistent access to sensitive data and potentially escalate privileges within the OpenPages environment. Organizations using these versions may experience unauthorized data access, compromised user credentials, and potential lateral movement within their network infrastructure. The attack surface is particularly concerning because it leverages legitimate workflow processes, making the malicious activity harder to detect through traditional security monitoring mechanisms. This vulnerability undermines the trust model of the application and can lead to significant business disruption and regulatory compliance issues.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent html injection attacks. The recommended approach involves implementing strict sanitization of all user-supplied content before it is processed into email notifications, utilizing established libraries and frameworks that properly escape html entities and validate content against known malicious patterns. System administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls and content security policies to detect and prevent malicious payload delivery. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their OpenPages installations and implement monitoring solutions to detect anomalous email generation patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security updates and patches from IBM should be applied immediately upon availability to address the root cause of this vulnerability and prevent unauthorized access to sensitive organizational data.