CVE-2017-1651 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

IBM Rational Quality Manager and IBM Rational Collaborative Lifecycle Management versions 5.0 through 5.0.2 and 6.0 through 6.0.5 are susceptible to a Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability that allows unauthorized JavaScript code injection.

Understanding CVE-2017-1651

Cross-site scripting (XSS) poses a security risk to IBM Rational Quality Manager and IBM Rational Collaborative Lifecycle Management versions 5.0 through 5.0.2 and 6.0 through 6.0.5. This vulnerability enables users to insert unauthorized JavaScript code into the Web UI, thereby modifying its intended behavior and potentially divulging login information within a trusted session. The corresponding vulnerability is identified by IBM X-Force ID 133261.

What is CVE-2017-1651?

CVE-2017-1651 is a Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting IBM Rational Quality Manager and IBM Rational Collaborative Lifecycle Management versions 5.0 through 5.0.2 and 6.0 through 6.0.5.

The Impact of CVE-2017-1651

Allows unauthorized JavaScript code injection into the Web UI
Alters the intended functionality of the Web UI
Potentially leads to credentials disclosure within a trusted session

Technical Details of CVE-2017-1651

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability details for IBM Rational Quality Manager and IBM Rational Collaborative Lifecycle Management.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows users to embed arbitrary JavaScript code in the Web UI, altering its intended functionality and potentially disclosing credentials within a trusted session.

Affected Systems and Versions

Rational Quality Manager versions 5.0, 5.0.1, 5.0.2, 6.0, 6.0.1, 6.0.2, 6.0.3, 6.0.4, 6.0.5
Rational Collaborative Lifecycle Management versions 5.0, 5.0.1, 5.0.2, 6.0, 6.0.1, 6.0.2, 6.0.3, 6.0.4, 6.0.5

Exploitation Mechanism

Attack Complexity: Low
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: Required
Exploit Code Maturity: High

Mitigation and Prevention

Steps to mitigate and prevent the CVE-2017-1651 vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply official fixes provided by IBM
Educate users on safe browsing practices
Monitor and restrict user input to prevent script injection

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch software to the latest versions
Conduct security audits and penetration testing
Implement web application firewalls

Patching and Updates

IBM has released official fixes to address the vulnerability
Regularly check for security updates and apply them promptly