CVE-2018-1846 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

IBM Rational Engineering Lifecycle Manager versions 5.0 to 5.0.2 and 6.0 to 6.0.6 are vulnerable to an XML External Entity Injection (XXE) attack, potentially leading to information disclosure or resource consumption.

Understanding CVE-2018-1846

Versions 5.0 to 5.0.2 and 6.0 to 6.0.6 of IBM Rational Engineering Lifecycle Manager have a security vulnerability where XML data processing can be susceptible to an XXE attack.

What is CVE-2018-1846?

Vulnerability in IBM Rational Engineering Lifecycle Manager versions 5.0 to 5.0.2 and 6.0 to 6.0.6
Vulnerability allows for an XML External Entity Injection (XXE) attack
Exploitation could lead to sensitive information exposure or excessive memory resource usage

The Impact of CVE-2018-1846

CVSS v3.0 Base Score: 7.1 (High)
Attack Vector: Network
Confidentiality Impact: High
Availability Impact: Low
Exploit Code Maturity: Unproven
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: Low
Remediation Level: Official Fix
The vulnerability has been confirmed and recorded by IBM X-Force as ID 150945

Technical Details of CVE-2018-1846

Vulnerability Description

Vulnerability in XML data processing susceptible to XXE attack

Affected Systems and Versions

IBM Rational Engineering Lifecycle Manager versions 5.0 to 5.0.2
IBM Rational Engineering Lifecycle Manager versions 6.0 to 6.0.6

Exploitation Mechanism

Remote attacker could exploit the vulnerability to expose sensitive information or consume memory resources

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply official fixes provided by IBM
Monitor for any unusual activities on the affected systems

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch the software
Implement network security measures to prevent unauthorized access
Educate users on safe data handling practices

Patching and Updates

Refer to IBM's official support page for patching information