CVE-2021-38952 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

This article provides detailed information about CVE-2021-38952, a cross-site scripting vulnerability affecting IBM InfoSphere Information Server 11.7.

Understanding CVE-2021-38952

This section explores the impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies related to the CVE-2021-38952 vulnerability.

What is CVE-2021-38952?

CVE-2021-38952 is a vulnerability in IBM InfoSphere Information Server 11.7 that allows malicious users to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into the Web UI. This could potentially alter the intended functionality and lead to the disclosure of credentials within a trusted session.

The Impact of CVE-2021-38952

The vulnerability's impact is rated as medium severity, with a CVSS base score of 5.4. Although the attack complexity is low, user interaction is required. Successful exploitation could result in unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information within the affected application.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-38952

This section dives into the specifics of the vulnerability, including its description, affected systems and versions, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in InfoSphere Information Server 11.7 permits the insertion of malicious scripts into the Web UI, enabling attackers to manipulate the application's behavior and potentially extract sensitive data.

Affected Systems and Versions

IBM InfoSphere Information Server version 11.7 is confirmed to be vulnerable to CVE-2021-38952.

Exploitation Mechanism

Exploiting this vulnerability requires a low level of privileges and user interaction, with a high level of exploit code maturity. Attackers can leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary code and compromise the confidentiality of user data.

Mitigation and Prevention

In this section, we discuss the immediate steps to take to secure systems, as well as long-term security practices and the importance of patching and updates.

Immediate Steps to Take

Organizations should consider implementing security measures such as input validation, output encoding, and security headers to mitigate the risk of cross-site scripting attacks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Establishing comprehensive security policies and conducting regular security assessments can help prevent future vulnerabilities like CVE-2021-38952. Employee training on identifying and reporting security issues is also essential.

Patching and Updates

IBM has released an official fix to address CVE-2021-38952. It is crucial for users to apply this patch promptly to protect their systems from potential exploits.