CVE-2010-1164 in JIRA
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Atlassian JIRA 3.12 through 4.1 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) element or (2) defaultColor parameter to the Colour Picker page; the (3) formName parameter, (4) element parameter, or (5) full name field to the User Picker page; the (6) formName parameter, (7) element parameter, or (8) group name field to the Group Picker page; the (9) announcement_preview_banner_st parameter to unspecified components, related to the Announcement Banner Preview page; unspecified vectors involving the (10) groupnames.jsp, (11) indexbrowser.jsp, (12) classpath-debug.jsp, (13) viewdocument.jsp, or (14) cleancommentspam.jsp page; the (15) portletKey parameter to runportleterror.jsp; the (16) URI to issuelinksmall.jsp; the (17) afterURL parameter to screenshot-redirecter.jsp; or the (18) HTTP Referrer header to 500page.jsp, as exploited in the wild in April 2010.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/18/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-1164 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Atlassian JIRA versions 3.12 through 4.1, demonstrating a fundamental weakness in input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the web application framework. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of the victim's browser, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or privilege escalation within the JIRA environment. The issue stems from insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input across multiple endpoints, creating multiple attack vectors that exploit the application's failure to properly escape or validate parameters before rendering them in web responses. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-79 as improper neutralization of input during web page generation, which directly aligns with the ATT&CK framework's technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter.
Multiple attack vectors exist within the JIRA application, each representing a distinct entry point for XSS exploitation. The primary vectors include parameters such as element, defaultColor, formName, and full name fields in the Colour Picker and User Picker pages, where unvalidated input is directly incorporated into HTML responses without proper encoding. Additionally, the Group Picker page contains vulnerabilities through formName, element, and group name fields, while the Announcement Banner Preview page is affected by the announcement_preview_banner_st parameter. The exploitation extends to several JSP pages including groupnames.jsp, indexbrowser.jsp, classpath-debug.jsp, viewdocument.jsp, and cleancommentspam.jsp, indicating a systemic issue in the application's parameter handling across its component architecture. These vulnerabilities collectively represent a widespread failure in the application's security controls, affecting both authenticated and unauthenticated users within the JIRA environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the ability to manipulate the JIRA interface and potentially access sensitive information or perform unauthorized actions within the application. Attackers could leverage these vulnerabilities to inject malicious scripts that could steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or modify the application's behavior to compromise data integrity. The fact that these vulnerabilities were exploited in the wild during April 2010 demonstrates their practical utility and the immediate threat they posed to organizations using affected JIRA versions. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that JIRA serves as a central project management and issue tracking platform, making it a valuable target for attackers seeking persistent access to organizational systems. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple JIRA versions indicates a fundamental architectural flaw that required comprehensive code review and input validation improvements.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-1164 must address the root cause through comprehensive input validation and output encoding practices. Organizations should implement strict parameter validation across all user-supplied inputs, ensuring that all parameters are properly escaped before being rendered in web responses. The recommended approach includes implementing a whitelist-based input validation mechanism combined with proper HTML encoding for all dynamic content. Security patches should be applied immediately to upgrade to JIRA versions that have addressed these vulnerabilities, as Atlassian released updates specifically targeting these XSS flaws. Additionally, organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to add an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks, though this should not be considered a replacement for proper input validation. Regular security testing including dynamic application security testing and manual penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the application stack, with particular attention to areas where user input is processed and displayed. The implementation of a robust security development lifecycle that includes security code reviews and automated input validation checks would prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future versions of the application.