CVE-2006-3338 in JIRA
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Atlassian JIRA 3.6.2-#156 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors in a direct request to secure/ConfigureReleaseNote.jspa, which are not sanitized before being returned in an error page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/23/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-3338 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within Atlassian JIRA version 3.6.2, specifically affecting the secure/ConfigureReleaseNote.jspa component. This issue arises from insufficient input validation and output sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly filter malicious content submitted through direct HTTP requests. The vulnerability exists in the error handling mechanism where user-supplied data that should be treated as untrusted input is directly incorporated into error page responses without appropriate sanitization or encoding processes.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers submit malicious payloads through unspecified vectors targeting the ConfigureReleaseNote.jspa endpoint. These payloads contain embedded script code or HTML content that bypasses the application's security controls during the processing of direct requests. When the system encounters an error condition related to this endpoint, the unsanitized input is rendered back to the user in error messages, creating an XSS attack vector that allows malicious scripts to execute within the context of the victim's browser session. This flaw operates under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without adequate sanitization or encoding.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with the capability to manipulate user sessions, steal authentication tokens, redirect users to malicious websites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the JIRA instance by potentially allowing unauthorized access to sensitive project data, modification of issue tracking information, and disruption of normal workflow processes. Attackers could leverage this weakness to compromise user accounts and gain persistent access to the issue tracking system, particularly in environments where JIRA serves as a central collaboration platform for development teams and project management activities.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. Organizations should immediately upgrade to patched versions of Atlassian JIRA where this vulnerability has been addressed through proper sanitization of user inputs and enhanced error handling procedures. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to prevent script execution even if XSS vectors are successfully exploited. Security controls should also include regular security assessments of web applications, proper input filtering using established libraries, and comprehensive error handling that avoids direct injection of user-supplied content into web responses. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers the initial access phase through malicious inputs and the execution of malicious code within the victim's browser environment, making it a critical concern for organizations relying on web-based issue tracking systems.