CVE-2011-1723 in Redmine
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in app/views/layouts/base.rhtml in Redmine 1.0.1 through 1.1.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the PATH_INFO to projects/hg-helloworld/news/. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/12/2025
The vulnerability CVE-2011-1723 represents a cross-site scripting flaw in the Redmine collaboration platform that affects versions 1.0.1 through 1.1.1. This security weakness resides in the application's base layout template file app/views/layouts/base.rhtml and specifically targets the handling of PATH_INFO parameters during project news display operations. The vulnerability enables remote attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML code into the application's response stream when users navigate to specific paths such as projects/hg-helloworld/news/. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which categorizes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, making it a classic example of client-side code injection that can compromise user sessions and data integrity.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of the PATH_INFO parameter within the HTTP request, which is then processed by the Redmine application's routing mechanism. When the application renders the news section for a specific project, it fails to properly sanitize or escape user-supplied input from the PATH_INFO component, allowing malicious payloads to be executed in the context of other users' browsers. The attack vector specifically targets the project news functionality where the application does not adequately validate or encode input parameters before incorporating them into dynamically generated HTML content. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the application layer where user interactions with project news feeds can trigger the execution of malicious scripts, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of authenticated users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities within the Redmine environment. Users who view affected project news pages become potential victims of session theft, where attackers can capture authentication tokens and impersonate legitimate users to access restricted project information or modify content. The vulnerability also facilitates the execution of malicious scripts that could redirect users to phishing sites, steal cookies, or perform actions such as creating new projects, modifying existing content, or accessing sensitive administrative functions depending on the victim's privilege level. Additionally, the widespread nature of Redmine installations in development environments and project management contexts means that successful exploitation could compromise multiple projects and their associated data. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which involves the use of unauthorized access to network resources through exploitation of web application vulnerabilities, and represents a critical threat to the integrity and confidentiality of collaborative development environments.
Organizations using affected Redmine versions should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches that address the input sanitization issues in the base layout template. The recommended approach involves ensuring proper HTML escaping and input validation for all PATH_INFO parameters before they are rendered in the application's HTML output. Security measures should include implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious input patterns, and conducting thorough input validation at multiple layers of the application architecture. System administrators should also consider disabling unnecessary project news features or implementing additional access controls to limit exposure. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input sanitization in web applications and aligns with industry best practices outlined in OWASP Top Ten 2017 category a03 which emphasizes injection flaws, making this case study particularly relevant for organizations implementing collaborative software solutions that handle user-generated content and dynamic URL parameters.