CVE-2012-5523 in MantisBT
Summary
by MITRE
core/email_api.php in MantisBT before 1.2.12 does not properly manage the sending of e-mail notifications about restricted bugs, which might allow remote authenticated users to obtain sensitive information by adding a note to a bug before losing permission to view that bug.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-5523 affects MantisBT versions prior to 1.2.12, specifically within the core/email_api.php component responsible for managing email notifications. This flaw represents a critical information disclosure issue that undermines the access control mechanisms designed to protect sensitive bug reports. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of email notification logic when users attempt to access restricted bug information after losing viewing permissions, creating a window where unauthorized information exposure can occur.
The technical implementation flaw occurs in the email API's permission validation process where the system fails to properly verify user access rights before sending email notifications about bug activities. When an authenticated user adds a note to a bug they previously had access to but subsequently lost permission to view, the system incorrectly processes email notifications without proper access validation. This creates a scenario where users can potentially obtain sensitive information through email communications that should have been restricted based on their current permission status. The vulnerability operates under CWE-200, which specifically addresses improper information exposure, and manifests as a privilege escalation issue within the application's access control model.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it enables attackers to exploit temporal access gaps in the system's permission model. An authenticated user can leverage this flaw by first gaining access to a restricted bug, adding a note to trigger email notifications, and then waiting for their permission to be revoked while still receiving emails containing sensitive information about the bug. This vulnerability affects the integrity of the application's security model by allowing unauthorized information retrieval through legitimate email notification channels, potentially exposing confidential bug details, system information, or other sensitive data that should remain restricted to authorized personnel only.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability require immediate patching to MantisBT version 1.2.12 or later, which implements proper access validation in the email notification system. Organizations should also review their email notification configurations to ensure that sensitive information is not included in automated communications, particularly when dealing with restricted access content. The remediation process should include implementing stricter access control validation before email generation, ensuring that permission checks occur at the time of notification processing rather than at the time of note creation. Additionally, system administrators should monitor email logs for unusual notification patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts and implement proper audit trails for access control events to detect potential abuse of this vulnerability. This remediation approach aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential access, as the vulnerability exploits legitimate user accounts to gain unauthorized information access through proper system functions.