# CVE-2020-4406: Cross-site scripting in Spectrum Protect Client (AIX)

> Remote attackers can hijack user clicks via malicious websites in the web UI, potentially launching further attacks against victims.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.4 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/C:L/PR:L/AC:L/UI:R/S:C/A:N/I:L/E:U/RC:C/RL:O`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 15 Jun 2020
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-hfrq-mhmh-565m

## What is CVE-2020-4406?

CVE-2020-4406 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in IBM Spectrum Protect Client (AIX), published on 15 Jun 2020. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

IBM Spectrum Protect Client 8.1.7.0 through 8.1.9.1 (Linux and Windows), 8.1.9.0 trough 8.1.9.1 (AIX) and IBM Spectrum Protect for Space Management 8.1.7.0 through 8.1.9.1 (Linux), 8.1.9.0 through 8.1.9.1 (AIX) web user interfaces could allow a remote attacker to hijack the clicking action of the victim. By persuading a victim to visit a malicious Web site, a remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability to hijack the victim's click actions and possibly launch further attacks against the victim. IBM X-Force ID: 179488.

Weakness: CWE-1021 (Improper Restriction of Rendered UI Layers or Frames)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-4406?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Ibm Spectrum Protect Client, Ibm Spectrum Protect for Space Management.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-4406?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-4406 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-4406 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-4406 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in IBM Spectrum Protect Client (AIX)

- [CVE-2021-29672](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-29672/): Memory corruption in Spectrum Protect for Space Management (high 8.4)
- [CVE-2020-4494](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-4494/): Auth bypass in Spectrum Protect Client (AIX) (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2023-33832](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-33832/): IBM Storage Protect denial of service (medium 6.2)
- [CVE-2022-22478](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-22478/): Information disclosure in Spectrum Protect Client (medium 6.2)
- [CVE-2021-20546](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20546/): Memory corruption in Spectrum Protect for Space Management (medium 6.2)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-4406 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-4406 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in IBM Spectrum Protect Client (AIX), published on 15 Jun 2020. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-4406 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: IBM Spectrum Protect Client (AIX). No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-4406/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-4406/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-4406
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-4406
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-4406

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-4406/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.