CVE-2013-0197 in MantisBT
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the filter_draw_selection_area2 function in core/filter_api.php in MantisBT 1.2.12 before 1.2.13 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the match_type parameter to bugs/search.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/21/2022
The CVE-2013-0197 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the MantisBT bug tracking system version 1.2.12 and earlier. This vulnerability resides within the core/filter_api.php file in the filter_draw_selection_area2 function, which processes user input through the bugs/search.php endpoint. The flaw specifically affects the match_type parameter, creating an avenue for remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly escape or filter user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamic web content.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious input for the match_type parameter and submits it through the search functionality of the MantisBT system. The filter_draw_selection_area2 function processes this unvalidated input without adequate sanitization, allowing the malicious code to be rendered in the web interface when other users view the search results or related pages. This creates a persistent XSS vector where the injected script executes in the victim's browser with the privileges of the authenticated user, potentially enabling session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions within the application. The vulnerability's impact is amplified because MantisBT is commonly used in enterprise environments where users may have elevated privileges and access to sensitive project data.
From an operational perspective, this XSS vulnerability presents significant risks to organizations relying on MantisBT for issue tracking and project management. Attackers can leverage this flaw to steal user sessions, modify project data, access confidential information, or escalate privileges within the system. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the application's search capabilities, which are frequently used by developers, project managers, and other team members. The attack surface is broad since the search functionality is integral to how users interact with the system, making exploitation relatively straightforward and potentially widespread. Organizations using affected versions face increased risk of data breaches, unauthorized access to sensitive project information, and potential compromise of development workflows and collaboration processes.
Security mitigations for CVE-2013-0197 should prioritize immediate patching to version 1.2.13 or later, which contains the necessary input validation fixes. Organizations should implement additional defensive measures including input sanitization at multiple layers, output encoding for all dynamic content, and comprehensive web application firewall rules to detect and block malicious payloads. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious web content. Network segmentation and monitoring of search-related API endpoints can help detect exploitation attempts, while user education regarding suspicious links and content can reduce successful social engineering attacks that might leverage this vulnerability. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar input validation issues in other components of the application stack.