CVE-2008-0335 in BugTracker.NET
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in BugTracker.NET before 2.7.2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via an arbitrary custom text field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/15/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-0335 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within BugTracker.NET software versions prior to 2.7.2. This vulnerability resides in the application's handling of user-supplied input within custom text fields, creating an avenue for remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers. The flaw fundamentally stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-provided data before it is rendered back to end users. This vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities where untrusted data is improperly integrated into web pages without appropriate sanitization or encoding measures. The security implications are severe as attackers can exploit this weakness to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of victims, or redirect users to malicious websites.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker submits malicious content through any custom text field within the BugTracker.NET application. The application fails to adequately validate or encode this input before displaying it to other users, allowing the injected script to execute in their browser context. This type of vulnerability typically falls under the ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which describes social engineering via malicious content delivery. The flaw exists because the software does not implement proper input sanitization routines or output encoding mechanisms that would neutralize potentially dangerous characters and sequences. Attackers can leverage this weakness to create persistent XSS payloads that remain active as long as the vulnerable application continues to display the malicious input without proper sanitization. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the bug tracking system by compromising the integrity of user data and potentially allowing unauthorized access to sensitive information.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-0335 extends beyond simple data corruption or display issues. When exploited, this vulnerability can enable attackers to hijack user sessions, steal authentication credentials, or manipulate the application's functionality. The vulnerability affects all users interacting with the application's custom text fields, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users collaborate on bug tracking and project management. The attack surface is broad as any custom field within the application could serve as an injection point, and the persistence of the vulnerability means that once exploited, the malicious code can continue to affect users until the application is patched or the malicious content is removed from the database. Organizations relying on unpatched versions of BugTracker.NET face significant risk of data breaches and unauthorized access to their project management systems. The vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental lack of secure coding practices in input validation and output encoding, which are essential requirements according to OWASP Top Ten security standards and the ISO/IEC 27001 information security management framework.
The recommended mitigation strategy for CVE-2008-0335 involves immediate patching of BugTracker.NET to version 2.7.2 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for input validation and output encoding. Organizations should also implement comprehensive input validation mechanisms that sanitize all user-supplied data before processing or storage, and ensure proper output encoding when rendering user content back to browsers. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. Regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other custom applications. The fix should address the root cause by implementing proper HTML encoding of all user-supplied content and validating input against a strict whitelist of allowed characters and patterns. This vulnerability highlights the critical importance of secure coding practices and demonstrates how seemingly simple input handling flaws can lead to significant security breaches in web applications. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring systems to detect and prevent exploitation attempts of known XSS vulnerabilities.