CVE-2014-9701 in MantisBT
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in MantisBT before 1.2.19 and 1.3.x before 1.3.0-beta.2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the url parameter to permalink_page.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/15/2022
The cross-site scripting vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-9701 affects MantisBT versions prior to 1.2.19 and 1.3.x versions before 1.3.0-beta.2, representing a critical security flaw that enables remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected applications. This vulnerability specifically manifests through the url parameter in the permalink_page.php script, which fails to properly sanitize or validate user input before incorporating it into web responses. The flaw allows attackers to craft malicious URLs that, when visited by unsuspecting users, can execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the victim's browser, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of the user.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which defines cross-site scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is incorporated into web pages without proper validation or escaping mechanisms. The vulnerability exists because the permalink_page.php script does not implement adequate input sanitization for the url parameter, allowing malicious payloads to bypass security controls and execute within the victim's browser context. This represents a classic reflected XSS attack vector where the malicious script is reflected back to the user through the vulnerable application's response, making it particularly dangerous as it requires no persistent storage of malicious content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains that leverage the compromised user session. Attackers can exploit this flaw to steal authentication cookies, modify user permissions, access sensitive project data, or redirect users to malicious websites. The vulnerability affects organizations using MantisBT for issue tracking and project management, where users might inadvertently click on malicious links shared through email, chat systems, or compromised websites. The reflected nature of the attack means that the malicious code is delivered in response to a specific user request, making it difficult to detect through traditional network monitoring approaches and requiring careful input validation at the application level.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to MantisBT versions 1.2.19 or 1.3.0-beta.2, which contain the necessary patches to address the input validation flaw. Additionally, implementing proper input sanitization measures such as HTML escaping for all user-supplied data, deploying content security policies, and configuring web application firewalls can provide defense-in-depth protection. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output encoding in web applications, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.005 for command and scripting interpreter usage. Security teams should also conduct regular security assessments of web applications to identify similar vulnerabilities and ensure proper implementation of secure coding practices that prevent XSS attacks through proper parameter validation and sanitization mechanisms.