CVE-2015-2046 in MantisBT
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in MantisBT 1.2.13 and later before 1.2.20.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/10/2019
The CVE-2015-2046 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the MantisBT bug tracking system, affecting versions 1.2.13 through 1.2.19. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting weaknesses in web applications. The flaw exists in the application's handling of user-supplied input within the issue reporting and management interfaces, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject arbitrary script code into web pages viewed by other users. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the software's user interface components.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when authenticated users submit malicious input through various fields in the bug tracking system, including issue descriptions, comments, and custom fields. When these inputs are rendered back to users without proper sanitization, the embedded scripts execute in the context of other users' browsers. This allows attackers to perform actions such as stealing session cookies, modifying user interface elements, redirecting users to malicious sites, or executing unauthorized commands on behalf of victims. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires minimal privileges to exploit, as it can be triggered by any authenticated user within the system, making it a significant concern for organizations relying on MantisBT for their software development workflows.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-2046 extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it enables persistent attacks that can compromise entire user sessions and potentially lead to privilege escalation within the application. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to sensitive project information, manipulate bug reports, or even use the compromised system as a launch point for further attacks within the organization's network. The vulnerability affects both the web-based interface and potentially API endpoints that process user input, creating multiple attack vectors. Organizations using affected versions of MantisBT face significant risks to their software development processes, as compromised systems could lead to unauthorized changes in code repositories or exposure of sensitive development data.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-2046 primarily focus on immediate software updates to versions 1.2.20 or later, where the vulnerability has been patched through improved input validation and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations should implement comprehensive input sanitization routines that escape special characters and validate all user-supplied data before processing. The remediation process should include thorough testing of all user interface components to ensure proper encoding of dynamic content. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious input patterns, while establishing monitoring procedures to identify potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular security assessments of their bug tracking systems and maintain up-to-date vulnerability management processes to prevent similar issues from arising in the future. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script injection and T1566 for social engineering through web interfaces, emphasizing the need for layered defensive measures.