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CVE-2016-5980 IBM CVE debrief

CVE-2016-5980 is a cross-site scripting vulnerability in IBM TRIRIGA Application Platform. According to the CVE description, it allows users to embed arbitrary JavaScript in the Web UI, which can alter intended functionality and potentially disclose credentials within a trusted session. NVD rates it as medium severity (CVSS 5.4) and records it as a network-reachable issue that requires low privileges and user interaction.

Vendor
IBM
Product
CVE-2016-5980
CVSS
MEDIUM 5.4
CISA KEV
Not listed in stored evidence
Original CVE published
2017-02-01
Original CVE updated
2026-05-13
Advisory published
2017-02-01
Advisory updated
2026-05-13

Who should care

Administrators, security teams, and application owners running IBM TRIRIGA Application Platform versions listed by NVD as vulnerable, especially environments where users can view or interact with shared Web UI content.

Technical summary

NVD maps this issue to CWE-79 (cross-site scripting). The CVSS v3.0 vector is AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N, indicating an attacker needs network access, low privileges, and user interaction, with potential impact to confidentiality and integrity. NVD’s vulnerable CPE criteria list IBM TRIRIGA Application Platform 3.3.0.0 through 3.5.1.1 as affected. The vendor reference points to an IBM support advisory/patch notice.

Defensive priority

Medium. This is not marked as KEV and there is no supplied evidence of active exploitation, but it can affect trusted web sessions and expose sensitive information. Prioritize if TRIRIGA is internet-facing or widely used by privileged users.

Recommended defensive actions

  • Confirm whether any IBM TRIRIGA Application Platform instances match the vulnerable versions listed in NVD.
  • Review IBM’s support advisory and apply the vendor patch or remediation referenced there.
  • Audit Web UI inputs and output encoding paths for XSS exposure, especially any user-controlled fields rendered to other users.
  • Limit exposure of TRIRIGA to trusted networks and enforce least privilege for users who can submit or view rich content.
  • Use security testing and code review focused on reflected, stored, and DOM-based XSS conditions in the TRIRIGA UI.
  • Monitor for suspicious script injection attempts and unusual session activity in affected applications.

Evidence notes

This debrief is based on the NVD CVE record and the IBM vendor advisory reference included in the source corpus. The CVE was published on 2017-02-01 and later modified on 2026-05-13; the modified date reflects record updates, not a new disclosure date. No exploit code, proof-of-concept, or detailed remediation steps beyond the presence of an IBM patch/vendor advisory were included in the supplied sources.

Official resources

Publicly disclosed CVE; published 2017-02-01. Later NVD modification on 2026-05-13 is a metadata update and should not be treated as the original issue date.