CVE-2005-4521 in Mantis
Summary
by MITRE
CRLF injection vulnerability in Mantis 1.0.0rc3 and earlier allows remote attackers to modify HTTP headers and conduct HTTP response splitting attacks via (1) the return parameter in login_cookie_test.php and (2) ref parameter in login_select_proj_page.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/27/2019
The CVE-2005-4521 vulnerability represents a critical CRLF injection flaw in Mantis version 1.0.0rc3 and earlier, exposing the issue to remote attackers who can exploit it to manipulate HTTP headers and execute HTTP response splitting attacks. This vulnerability resides in the web application's authentication and session management components, specifically targeting two distinct entry points within the Mantis bug tracking system. The flaw enables attackers to inject carriage return and line feed characters into HTTP headers, fundamentally compromising the integrity of the application's response handling mechanisms.
The technical exploitation occurs through two primary vectors within the Mantis application's codebase. The first vulnerability exists in login_cookie_test.php where the return parameter is not properly sanitized, allowing attackers to inject CRLF sequences that can alter HTTP headers. The second vector is found in login_select_proj_page.php where the ref parameter lacks adequate input validation, creating similar opportunities for header manipulation. Both attack paths leverage the application's failure to properly escape or validate user-controllable input before incorporating it into HTTP response headers, directly correlating to CWE-113 which defines improper neutralization of CRLF characters in HTTP headers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple header manipulation, as HTTP response splitting attacks can enable sophisticated exploitation techniques including session hijacking, cross-site scripting attacks, and cache poisoning. Attackers can craft malicious requests that cause the application to generate multiple HTTP responses, potentially allowing them to inject malicious content into the victim's browser or redirect users to malicious sites. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1190, which describes the use of HTTP response splitting for web application exploitation, and represents a significant threat to user session integrity and application security posture.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and sanitization of all user-controllable parameters, particularly those used in HTTP header construction. The recommended approach involves implementing strict validation of input data to prevent CRLF character sequences from being processed, along with proper encoding of user-supplied data before header construction. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious CRLF injection patterns, and ensure that all Mantis installations are updated to versions that have addressed this vulnerability. The fix typically involves implementing proper parameter validation and sanitization routines that prevent the injection of control characters into HTTP headers, thereby eliminating the attack surface that enables this class of vulnerability.