CVE-2011-3358 in MantisBT
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in MantisBT before 1.2.8 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) os, (2) os_build, or (3) platform parameter to (a) bug_report_page.php or (b) bug_update_advanced_page.php, related to use of the Projax library.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/20/2021
The vulnerability CVE-2011-3358 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting MantisBT versions prior to 1.2.8, specifically within the Projax library implementation. This vulnerability exposes the issue to remote attackers who can exploit it to inject malicious web scripts or HTML content into the application's web interface. The attack vector targets specific parameters including os, os_build, and platform within two key pages of the application: bug_report_page.php and bug_update_advanced_page.php. These parameters serve as entry points for malicious code injection that can compromise user sessions and potentially escalate to more severe security incidents.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the Projax library integration. When users submit data through the affected parameters, the application fails to properly escape or filter the input before rendering it in the web page context. This allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of other users' browsers, creating persistent XSS vulnerabilities. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as "Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')", which specifically addresses the failure to properly sanitize user-supplied data before including it in web page output.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive information, modify user data, or redirect users to malicious websites. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to create persistent backdoors within the application, potentially compromising the entire user base that interacts with the bug tracking system. The affected pages represent core functionality of the application where users report and update bug information, making these attack vectors particularly dangerous as they target the most frequently accessed features of the system. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for "Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment" and T1566.002 for "Phishing: Spearphishing Link" as attackers can craft malicious links that exploit this vulnerability when users navigate to the affected pages.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-3358 require immediate patching of the MantisBT application to version 1.2.8 or later, which includes proper input sanitization and output encoding fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation measures that enforce strict parameter filtering and sanitization before any user data is processed. The Projax library integration should be reviewed and updated to ensure proper escaping of all user-supplied content. Additionally, web application firewalls can provide an additional layer of protection by monitoring for suspicious parameter patterns and blocking malicious requests before they reach the vulnerable application components. Security teams should also implement regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in other web applications and ensure that input validation mechanisms are consistently applied across all user-facing interfaces.