CVE-2007-6618 in JIRA
Summary
by MITRE
JIRA Enterprise Edition before 3.12.1 allows remote attackers to delete another user s shared filter via a modified filter ID.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/02/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-6618 affects JIRA Enterprise Edition versions prior to 3.12.1 and represents a critical access control flaw that enables remote attackers to manipulate shared filter permissions. This issue stems from insufficient input validation and authorization checks within the filter management subsystem, allowing malicious actors to exploit a predictable pattern in filter identifiers to execute unauthorized deletion operations against shared filters owned by other users. The vulnerability specifically targets the filter ID parameter in the web interface, where the application fails to properly verify user permissions before processing deletion requests. This flaw exists in the application's privilege escalation mechanisms and demonstrates a clear failure in implementing proper access controls for shared resources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the predictable nature of filter identification within JIRA's web application framework. Attackers can construct malicious requests by modifying the filter ID parameter in the URL or API calls, bypassing the normal authorization checks that should prevent users from accessing or modifying resources they do not own. The system's failure to validate whether the requesting user has sufficient privileges to delete a specific filter allows for cross-user resource manipulation. This issue is particularly dangerous because shared filters often contain sensitive project data, custom search criteria, and business-critical reporting configurations that other team members rely upon for their work processes. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited through standard web browser interactions or automated attack tools without requiring elevated privileges or special authentication tokens.
The operational impact of CVE-2007-6618 extends beyond simple data deletion, as it represents a fundamental breakdown in the security model of the JIRA platform. Organizations utilizing affected versions face significant risks including unauthorized data manipulation, potential information disclosure through the deletion of shared filters that might contain sensitive project information, and disruption of collaborative workflows that depend on shared search configurations. The vulnerability can be exploited by anyone with access to the JIRA application, making it particularly concerning for environments where multiple users have varying levels of access permissions. This flaw directly violates the principle of least privilege and demonstrates a critical weakness in the application's permission model. The attack can result in the complete removal of shared filters, potentially affecting project tracking, reporting, and team collaboration across multiple projects within the organization.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization in software applications, and represents a classic example of insufficient access control validation. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this issue maps to privilege escalation techniques and can be categorized under T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for social engineering attacks that leverage application vulnerabilities. Organizations should immediately implement the vendor-provided patch for JIRA Enterprise Edition 3.12.1, which addresses the filter ID validation and authorization checks. Additional mitigations include implementing network-level access controls to restrict direct access to JIRA's administrative interfaces, monitoring for unusual filter deletion patterns, and conducting regular security audits of shared resource configurations. The patch resolves the core issue by implementing proper user authentication checks before processing filter deletion requests and by introducing more robust validation mechanisms for filter identifiers. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious filter manipulation attempts, and establish procedures for monitoring shared filter usage and modification activities to identify potential exploitation attempts.