CVE-2023-38007: IBM Cloud Pak System Vulnerable to HTML Injection
IBM Cloud Pak System is susceptible to an HTML injection vulnerability, potentially allowing attackers to inject malicious code into the application and compromise user sessions. This could lead to information theft or other malicious activities. This article provides an overview of the vulnerability, its potential impact, and recommendations for mitigation.
Vulnerability Details
- CVE ID: CVE-2023-38007
- Description: IBM Cloud Pak System 2.3.5.0, 2.3.3.7, 2.3.3.7 iFix1 on Power and 2.3.3.6, 2.3.3.6 iFix1, 2.3.3.6 iFix2, 2.3.4.0, 2.3.4.1 on Intel operating systems is vulnerable to HTML injection. A remote attacker could inject malicious HTML code, which when viewed, would be executed in the victim's Web browser within the security context of the hosting site.
- CVSS Score: 5.4 (Medium)
- CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
- CVSS Explanation: This CVSS vector indicates that the vulnerability can be exploited over the network (AV:N) with low complexity (AC:L). An attacker with low privileges (PR:L) can trigger the vulnerability by tricking a user into interacting with the malicious code (UI:R), potentially leading to limited impact on confidentiality (C:L) and integrity (I:L) within the context of the affected component (S:C), without affecting availability (A:N).
- Exploit Requirements: An attacker needs to be able to inject HTML code into the application, typically through a user-supplied input field. The user needs to interact with the injected code for the exploit to be successful.
- Affected Vendor: IBM
- Affected Product: IBM Cloud Pak System
- Affected Versions: 2.3.5.0, 2.3.3.7, 2.3.3.7 iFix1 on Power and 2.3.3.6, 2.3.3.6 iFix1, 2.3.3.6 iFix2, 2.3.4.0, 2.3.4.1 on Intel
- CWE: CWE-80 (Improper Neutralization of Script-Related HTML Tags in a Web Page (Basic XSS))
Timeline of Events
- 2023: Vulnerability Discovered
- 2025-06-27: CVE Published
Exploitability & Real-World Risk
HTML injection vulnerabilities can be easily exploited if input is not properly sanitized. An attacker can inject malicious JavaScript code, which can then be executed in the victim's browser, leading to session hijacking, defacement, or redirection to phishing sites. Given the critical role of IBM Cloud Pak System in managing cloud environments, a successful exploit could have significant consequences.
Recommendations
- Apply the latest patches and updates provided by IBM to address this vulnerability.
- Sanitize all user-supplied input to prevent HTML injection.
- Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) to restrict the sources from which the browser can load resources, mitigating the impact of XSS attacks.
- Regularly review and audit the application code for potential vulnerabilities.
Technical Insight
The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly neutralize or escape HTML metacharacters in user-supplied input. When the application renders this unescaped input in the HTML context, it allows an attacker to inject arbitrary HTML code. The browser then interprets and executes this code, potentially leading to malicious outcomes.
Credit to Researcher(s)
IBM Security Team
References
Tags
CVE-2023-38007, IBM, Cloud Pak System, HTML Injection, XSS, Security Vulnerability
Summary: IBM Cloud Pak System is vulnerable to HTML injection. A remote attacker can inject malicious HTML code, which, when viewed, is executed in the victim's Web browser within the security context of the hosting site. Apply the latest patches and updates provided by IBM to address this vulnerability.
CVE ID: CVE-2023-38007
Risk Analysis: Successful exploitation could allow an attacker to steal sensitive information, perform actions on behalf of the user, or deface the website.
Recommendation: Apply the latest patches and updates. Sanitize all user input to prevent HTML injection. Implement Content Security Policy (CSP).
Timeline
- 2023: Vulnerability Discovered
- 2025-06-27: CVE Published