CVE-2015-2148 in phpBugTracker
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Issuetracker phpBugTracker before 1.7.2 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified parameters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/22/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-2148 represents a critical security flaw within the phpBugTracker issue tracking system prior to version 1.7.2. This vulnerability manifests as multiple cross-site scripting vulnerabilities that enable remote attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML code into the application. The affected system operates on a web-based interface where users can report and track software issues, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to exploit user interactions with the platform. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the application's parameter handling processes, allowing malicious payloads to be executed in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical flaw in phpBugTracker stems from insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input parameters that are subsequently rendered in web pages without proper encoding or filtering. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically representing a stored XSS variant where malicious scripts persist in the application's database and execute whenever affected pages are accessed. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting malicious input containing script tags or other HTML elements that get processed and displayed to other users without proper security measures. The unspecified parameters in the vulnerability description indicate that multiple entry points within the application are susceptible to this type of injection attack, making the exploitation surface particularly broad.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows attackers to execute arbitrary code in the browsers of authenticated users, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or further escalation within the affected environment. An attacker could craft malicious bug reports or comments containing XSS payloads that would execute whenever other users view these entries, creating a persistent threat vector. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require local access to the system, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where various stakeholders interact with the issue tracking system. This type of vulnerability can be exploited to establish persistent backdoors, steal sensitive information, or manipulate the application's functionality to serve malicious purposes.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-2148 involve immediate patching of the phpBugTracker application to version 1.7.2 or later, which includes proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations should implement comprehensive input sanitization routines that encode special characters in user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages, following the principle of least privilege for user inputs. Network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional layers of protection by monitoring for suspicious script injection patterns. Regular security assessments should include testing for XSS vulnerabilities using automated tools and manual penetration testing techniques. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1059.008 technique for 'Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell' and T1566.001 for 'Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment', highlighting the importance of both application-level and user awareness-based defenses. Organizations should also implement Content Security Policy headers to prevent execution of unauthorized scripts and establish proper security training for users to recognize potential phishing attempts that might exploit such vulnerabilities.