CVE-2016-5364 in MantisBT
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in manage_custom_field_edit_page.php in MantisBT 1.2.19 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the return parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/15/2020
The CVE-2016-5364 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in MantisBT version 1.2.19 and earlier, specifically within the manage_custom_field_edit_page.php component. This vulnerability exposes the application to remote code execution risks through malicious web script injection, potentially allowing attackers to compromise user sessions and manipulate application behavior. The flaw exists in the handling of the return parameter, which fails to properly sanitize user input before rendering it in the web page context. This vulnerability directly impacts the integrity and confidentiality of user data within the issue tracking system, as attackers can exploit it to execute malicious scripts in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which classifies cross-site scripting as a code injection flaw that allows attackers to execute scripts in the victim's browser. The vulnerability operates by accepting unvalidated input through the return parameter and subsequently embedding this data directly into the HTML output without proper sanitization or encoding mechanisms. This represents a classic case of reflected XSS where malicious input is immediately reflected back to the user without appropriate security controls. The attack vector requires minimal privileges as it targets the web application interface rather than underlying system components, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users have access to administrative functions.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables attackers to perform session hijacking, steal user credentials, and manipulate the application's functionality. The compromised user sessions could allow unauthorized access to sensitive issue tracking data, modification of project information, and potential privilege escalation within the MantisBT system. The vulnerability affects all users who interact with the custom field management interface, particularly administrators who might be exposed to more significant risks due to their elevated privileges. Attackers could craft malicious URLs with specially formatted return parameters that, when clicked by an authenticated user, would execute arbitrary scripts in the victim's browser context.
Security mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-5364 should include immediate patching of the MantisBT application to version 1.2.20 or later, which contains the necessary input validation fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive input sanitization measures that encode all user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages, particularly for parameters used in URL redirection scenarios. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to prevent unauthorized script execution. Network segmentation and access controls should limit exposure to the vulnerable application, while regular security audits should verify that all input handling mechanisms properly validate and sanitize user data. This vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to OWASP Top Ten security guidelines, particularly those addressing input validation and output encoding. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1059.007 technique for 'Scripting' and T1566.001 for 'Phishing' as attackers often leverage such vulnerabilities to deliver malicious payloads through social engineering campaigns targeting authenticated users.