CVE-2007-6617 in JIRA
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in 500page.jsp in JIRA Enterprise Edition before 3.12.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML, which is not properly handled when generating error messages, as demonstrated by input originally sent in the URI to secure/CreateIssue. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/02/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-6617 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in JIRA Enterprise Edition versions prior to 3.12.1, specifically within the 500page.jsp component. This vulnerability arises from improper handling of user input during error message generation, creating a pathway for remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected users' browsers. The flaw manifests when input data originally submitted through the URI to the secure/CreateIssue endpoint is not adequately sanitized or escaped before being processed and displayed in error pages.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding practices within JIRA's error handling mechanism. When the system encounters an error during issue creation, it generates a 500 error page that displays user-supplied data without proper HTML escaping or sanitization. This creates an environment where attackers can craft malicious input containing script tags or other HTML elements that get executed when the error page is rendered. The vulnerability specifically targets the 500page.jsp file which serves as the error display interface, making it a prime target for exploitation.
From an operational perspective, this XSS vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations using affected JIRA versions. Attackers could leverage this flaw to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, redirect victims to malicious sites, or extract sensitive information from the JIRA environment. The impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable more sophisticated attacks including session hijacking, privilege escalation, and data exfiltration. The fact that the vulnerability is triggered through the CreateIssue endpoint means that any user with access to this functionality could potentially be exploited, making it particularly dangerous in collaborative environments where multiple users interact with the system.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which defines Cross-site Scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is sent to a web browser without proper validation or escaping. This classification places the vulnerability within the broader category of input validation failures that have been consistently identified as critical security concerns in web applications. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1566.001 (Phishing via Social Media) and T1059.007 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript) as attackers can use the XSS to deliver malicious JavaScript payloads to victims. Organizations should prioritize patching this vulnerability by upgrading to JIRA Enterprise Edition 3.12.1 or later, implementing proper input validation at all entry points, and configuring proper output encoding for all dynamic content. Additional mitigations include implementing content security policies, regular security assessments, and user education regarding suspicious activities.