CVE-2005-4523 in Mantis
Summary
by MITRE
Mantis 1.0.0rc3 and earlier discloses private bugs via public RSS feeds, which allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/27/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-4523 affects Mantis Bug Tracker version 1.0.0rc3 and earlier, representing a critical information disclosure flaw that undermines the system's security posture. This vulnerability specifically manifests in the RSS feed functionality where the application fails to properly enforce access controls, allowing unauthorized remote attackers to gain visibility into private bug reports through publicly accessible RSS feeds. The flaw exists in the application's privilege management system where the distinction between public and private bug data is not adequately maintained when generating RSS feed content, creating a direct pathway for sensitive information exposure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and access control mechanisms within the RSS feed generation module. When users request RSS feeds from the Mantis application, the system does not properly verify the authentication status or authorization level of the requesting user before including private bug data in the feed output. This architectural weakness allows attackers to exploit the RSS feed endpoint without proper credentials, effectively bypassing the intended security boundaries that should separate public and private bug tracking information. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-200, which specifically addresses "Information Exposure," and represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege in information security.
The operational impact of CVE-2005-4523 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as private bug reports often contain sensitive details about system vulnerabilities, security flaws, and potentially confidential business information. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gather intelligence about target organizations' security posture, identify potential attack vectors, and gain insights into ongoing security assessments or remediation efforts. This exposure creates a significant risk for organizations that rely on Mantis for internal security tracking, as it undermines the confidentiality of sensitive security data and could potentially enable further attacks against the affected systems. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers "Phishing with Malicious Attachments," as the exposed information could be used to craft more sophisticated social engineering campaigns.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including updating to Mantis version 1.0.0rc4 or later where the issue has been resolved, applying access controls to RSS feed endpoints, and reviewing all public-facing interfaces for similar privilege escalation opportunities. The fix typically involves implementing proper authentication checks within the RSS feed generation code and ensuring that private bug data is filtered out before feed compilation. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive audits of their bug tracking systems to identify any other potential information disclosure vulnerabilities and establish monitoring procedures to detect unauthorized access attempts to sensitive data repositories.