CVE-2013-3369 in Best Practical
Summary
by MITRE
Request Tracker (RT) 3.8.x before 3.8.17 and 4.0.x before 4.0.13 allows remote authenticated users with the permissions to view the administration pages to execute arbitrary private components via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/07/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-3369 affects Request Tracker (RT) versions 3.8.x before 3.8.17 and 4.0.x before 4.0.13, representing a critical security flaw that enables remote authenticated attackers with administrative view permissions to execute arbitrary private components. This vulnerability resides within the privilege escalation and code execution mechanisms of the RT application, which is widely used for issue tracking and help desk management across enterprise environments. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and access control measures within the administrative interface components that handle component execution.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under CWE-264, which encompasses permissions, privileges, and access control issues, and specifically relates to improper access control within web applications. Attackers with minimal administrative privileges can exploit this weakness to execute arbitrary code through unspecified vectors within the RT system, potentially compromising the entire application server. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it allows execution of private components that may contain sensitive functionality or code paths not intended for public access. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which focuses on exploit for privilege escalation, and T1059, which covers command and scripting interpreters for code execution.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-3369 is severe for organizations relying on RT for their ticketing systems, as it provides attackers with a pathway to gain elevated privileges and potentially compromise the entire system. Organizations may experience unauthorized data access, system compromise, and potential lateral movement within their network infrastructure. The vulnerability's remote execution capability means attackers can exploit it without physical access to the system, making it particularly dangerous for cloud-based deployments. The unspecified vectors suggest that the flaw may manifest through multiple attack paths within the administrative interface, complicating detection and remediation efforts.
Organizations should immediately apply the vendor patches available for RT versions 3.8.17 and 4.0.13 to address this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and access controls can help limit the potential impact of such attacks by restricting administrative access to trusted networks only. Security monitoring should focus on detecting unusual administrative activities and component execution patterns within RT systems. Regular security assessments and penetration testing of RT installations can help identify similar vulnerabilities that may exist within the application's architecture. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and implementing proper access control measures to prevent unauthorized code execution within critical business applications.