CVE-2012-2927 in Tempo
Summary
by MITRE
The TM Software Tempo plugin before 6.4.3.1, 6.5.x before 6.5.0.2, and 7.x before 7.0.3 for Atlassian JIRA does not properly restrict the capabilities of third-party XML parsers, which allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (resource consumption) via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/02/2021
The CVE-2012-2927 vulnerability affects the TM Software Tempo plugin for Atlassian JIRA, specifically targeting versions prior to 6.4.3.1, 6.5.0.2, and 7.0.3. This issue represents a critical flaw in the plugin's handling of XML parsing operations that can be exploited by authenticated attackers to consume excessive system resources. The vulnerability stems from insufficient restrictions on third-party XML parser capabilities, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate the parsing process and potentially exhaust system resources through resource-intensive operations. The affected versions demonstrate a failure in input validation and resource management within the XML processing pipeline.
The technical flaw manifests in the plugin's XML parser implementation where it fails to properly constrain the capabilities of underlying XML parsers that it utilizes. This misconfiguration allows attackers to craft specially formatted XML input that can trigger excessive memory allocation, CPU consumption, or other resource-intensive operations during the parsing process. The vulnerability is classified as a denial of service condition because the malicious XML input can cause the JIRA instance to consume disproportionate system resources, leading to performance degradation or complete service unavailability. This issue directly relates to CWE-400, which addresses unspecified resource exhaustion vulnerabilities in software applications.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-2927 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the entire JIRA instance availability. When exploited, the vulnerability can cause the application server to consume all available memory or CPU cycles, effectively rendering the JIRA system unusable for legitimate users. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability through authenticated access to perform resource exhaustion attacks that may not require special privileges beyond existing user accounts. The attack vector involves submitting malicious XML content through various JIRA interfaces where XML parsing occurs, such as issue creation, import operations, or plugin-specific features. This vulnerability can be particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where JIRA serves as a critical collaboration platform.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigation strategies focusing on plugin updates and access controls. The primary remediation involves upgrading to the patched versions of the TM Software Tempo plugin, specifically versions 6.4.3.1, 6.5.0.2, and 7.0.3, which contain proper restrictions on XML parser capabilities. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing network-level controls to limit access to XML processing features, particularly for users who do not require such functionality. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework aligns with techniques involving resource exhaustion and denial of service operations, making it a significant concern for organizations maintaining robust security postures. Regular vulnerability assessments and patch management processes should include verification of third-party plugin security to prevent similar issues from compromising enterprise systems.