CVE-2015-1165 in Request Tracker
Summary
by MITRE
RT (aka Request Tracker) 3.8.8 through 4.x before 4.0.23 and 4.2.x before 4.2.10 allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive RSS feed URLs and ticket data via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/01/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-1165 affects Request Tracker (RT) versions 3.8.8 through 4.x before 4.0.23 and 4.2.x before 4.2.10, representing a critical information disclosure weakness that enables remote attackers to access sensitive RSS feed URLs and ticket data. This vulnerability falls under the category of insecure direct object references and weak access control mechanisms, which are commonly classified under CWE-284 access control issues. The flaw manifests through unspecified vectors that allow unauthorized users to bypass normal authentication and authorization checks, potentially exposing confidential information within the RT system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and access control enforcement within the RSS feed generation functionality of RT. Attackers can exploit this weakness to retrieve RSS feed URLs that contain sensitive ticket information, including ticket identifiers, subject lines, and potentially other metadata that should remain restricted to authorized personnel. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data exposure as it can provide attackers with detailed insights into the organization's ticket management processes, potentially revealing system usage patterns, sensitive business information, and operational details that could be leveraged for further attacks.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant security risks for organizations relying on RT for issue tracking and ticket management. The exposure of RSS feed URLs and associated ticket data can lead to information leakage that may compromise business continuity, regulatory compliance, and competitive advantage. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not need physical access to the system or local network privileges to perform the attack, making it particularly dangerous in environments where RT systems are accessible from external networks. This weakness can facilitate reconnaissance activities that lead to more sophisticated attacks, including privilege escalation attempts and targeted exploitation of other system components.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through patching to versions 4.0.23 and 4.2.10 respectively, as these releases contain the necessary fixes to address the access control bypass. The mitigation strategy should also include implementing network segmentation to restrict access to RT systems, enforcing strict access controls for RSS feed generation endpoints, and conducting comprehensive security reviews of all web applications to identify similar vulnerabilities. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques such as T1083 (File and Directory Discovery) and T1566 (Phishing for Information), as it enables adversaries to gather intelligence about system components and sensitive data. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing monitoring solutions that can detect unusual access patterns to RSS feeds and ticket data, providing early warning capabilities for potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of regular security updates and proper access control implementation in web applications, particularly those handling sensitive business data and operational information.