CVE-2021-20444 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

IBM Maximo for Civil Infrastructure 7.6.2 is vulnerable to cross-site scripting, potentially leading to credentials disclosure within a trusted session.

Understanding CVE-2021-20444

This CVE involves a vulnerability in IBM Maximo for Civil Infrastructure 7.6.2 that allows users to embed arbitrary JavaScript code in the Web UI.

What is CVE-2021-20444?

The vulnerability in IBM Maximo for Civil Infrastructure 7.6.2 enables attackers to alter the intended functionality by injecting JavaScript code, potentially resulting in the disclosure of sensitive credentials within a trusted session.

The Impact of CVE-2021-20444

The impact of this vulnerability is considered medium severity with a base score of 6.1, highlighting the risk of unauthorized JavaScript injections and credential exposure.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-20444

This section provides insights into the vulnerability's description, affected systems, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows malicious actors to insert arbitrary JavaScript code into the Web UI, compromising the integrity of the application and potentially leading to credential leakage.

Affected Systems and Versions

IBM Maximo for Civil Infrastructure version 7.6.2 is the specific version affected by this CVE, making installations running on this version susceptible to cross-site scripting attacks.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by injecting malicious JavaScript code into the Web UI, manipulating the application's behavior and potentially gaining unauthorized access to sensitive information.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2021-20444, immediate steps should be taken to secure affected systems and prevent further exploitation.

Immediate Steps to Take

Organizations should apply official fixes provided by IBM to remediate the vulnerability in Maximo for Civil Infrastructure 7.6.2.
Security teams are advised to monitor and restrict user interactions that could facilitate the injection of unauthorized scripts.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing secure coding practices and conducting regular security assessments can help prevent similar vulnerabilities in the future.
Educating users about the risks of cross-site scripting and promoting safe browsing habits can enhance overall cybersecurity posture.

Patching and Updates

Regularly updating Maximo for Civil Infrastructure to the latest versions and promptly applying security patches can help mitigate the risk of cross-site scripting vulnerabilities.