CVE-2014-2553 in OTRS
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Open Ticket Request System (OTRS) 3.1.x before 3.1.21, 3.2.x before 3.2.16, and 3.3.x before 3.3.6 allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via vectors related to dynamic fields.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/09/2026
The Cross-site scripting vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-2553 affects the Open Ticket Request System OTRS versions prior to specific patch releases. This vulnerability resides within the dynamic fields functionality of the system, representing a classic client-side attack vector that exploits the application's failure to properly sanitize user input. The flaw enables authenticated attackers to inject malicious scripts that can execute within the context of other users' browsers, potentially compromising the security of the entire system. The vulnerability specifically impacts OTRS versions 3.1.x before 3.1.21, 3.2.x before 3.2.16, and 3.3.x before 3.3.6, indicating a widespread issue across multiple release branches of this ticketing system.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the dynamic fields feature, which allows administrators to create custom fields for ticket management. When authenticated users interact with these dynamic fields, the system fails to adequately validate or escape user-supplied input before rendering it in the web interface. This improper input handling creates an XSS attack surface where malicious scripts can be injected and subsequently executed in the browsers of other users who view the affected tickets. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only authentication to exploit, meaning that attackers who have gained legitimate access to the system can leverage this weakness to escalate their privileges or compromise other users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive information, manipulate data, or redirect users to malicious websites. Attackers can craft malicious input that appears legitimate within the ticketing system but contains embedded scripts that execute when other users view the tickets. This could lead to unauthorized access to confidential customer data, internal communications, or system configuration details. The vulnerability undermines the integrity of the ticketing system's user interface and can cause significant damage to the organization's security posture, particularly in environments where the ticketing system serves as a central hub for customer support and internal communications.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately apply the security patches released by OTRS for versions 3.1.21, 3.2.16, and 3.3.6 respectively. The mitigation strategy involves not only patching the system but also implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. Security teams should conduct comprehensive audits of dynamic field configurations to identify any potentially compromised data and monitor system logs for signs of exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a common vector in the ATT&CK framework under the technique of Web Shell deployment. The remediation process should include updating all instances of OTRS and implementing additional security controls such as Content Security Policy headers to provide defense-in-depth against similar future vulnerabilities.