CVE-2013-1931 in MantisBT
Summary
by MITRE
A cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in MantisBT 1.2.14 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a version, related to deleting a version.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/01/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-1931 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within MantisBT version 1.2.14, a widely used web-based issue tracking system. This vulnerability specifically manifests when users attempt to delete a version entry within the application, creating a potential attack vector that could be exploited by remote adversaries. The flaw resides in the insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before it is rendered back to users within the web interface. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as a failure to sanitize input, making it a classic example of client-side script injection that can be leveraged for malicious purposes.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious input containing HTML or JavaScript code within the version field during the deletion process. When the affected MantisBT application processes this input without proper sanitization, the malicious code gets stored and subsequently executed within the browser context of legitimate users who view the affected version information. This creates a persistent XSS condition where the attacker's payload can execute in the victim's browser session, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability affects the application's security model by undermining the trust boundary between user inputs and the rendered output, allowing unauthorized code execution in the context of the victim's browser.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-1931 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities within the compromised environment. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to steal user sessions, modify project data, or escalate privileges within the issue tracking system. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates within a core administrative function, meaning that attackers could potentially manipulate version information to hide malicious activities or create false records. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to technique T1059.007 for scripting and T1531 for implant execution, representing a significant threat to the confidentiality and integrity of the issue tracking system.
Organizations utilizing MantisBT 1.2.14 should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and output encoding controls to prevent the exploitation of this vulnerability. The recommended approach involves implementing proper HTML entity encoding for all user-supplied data before rendering it within the web interface, ensuring that any potentially malicious content is neutralized. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against script execution. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions, as newer releases of MantisBT have addressed this specific XSS flaw through improved input sanitization mechanisms. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious input patterns that could indicate attempts to exploit this vulnerability, while regular security assessments should verify that all input handling mechanisms properly validate and sanitize user data to prevent similar issues in other application components.