CVE-2016-6837 in MantisBT
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in MantisBT Filter API in MantisBT versions before 1.2.19, and versions 2.0.0-beta1, 1.3.0-beta1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the view_type parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/20/2025
The CVE-2016-6837 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the MantisBT bug tracking system's Filter API component. This vulnerability affects multiple versions of the software including all releases prior to 1.2.19, as well as the beta versions 2.0.0-beta1 and 1.3.0-beta1. The flaw specifically resides in how the system processes the view_type parameter, creating an avenue for remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is a fundamental web application security weakness that has been consistently identified as one of the most prevalent threats in the OWASP Top Ten security risks.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the improper sanitization of user input in the Filter API's view_type parameter. When a malicious actor submits crafted script code within this parameter, the application fails to adequately validate or escape the input before rendering it in the web interface. This allows attackers to inject malicious payloads that execute in the browser context of legitimate users who view affected pages. The impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable session hijacking, credential theft, and the potential for more sophisticated attacks such as phishing or data exfiltration. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects the core filtering functionality that users rely on for managing bug reports and project tracking.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for organizations using MantisBT systems, as it creates a persistent security risk that can be exploited by attackers without requiring authentication. Once exploited, the malicious scripts can access user sessions, steal cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or even modify the application's behavior. The vulnerability affects both the 1.x and 2.x release lines of MantisBT, indicating a widespread issue that would impact numerous organizations maintaining older versions of the software. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious links, and T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter execution. Organizations may experience unauthorized access to sensitive project data, compromised user accounts, and potential data breaches that could affect intellectual property and confidential information.
The recommended mitigations for CVE-2016-6837 include immediate upgrading to MantisBT versions 1.2.19 or later, or 2.0.0-beta2 and 1.3.0-beta2 respectively, where the vulnerability has been addressed through proper input validation and sanitization. Additionally, organizations should implement input validation measures at the application level, including proper escaping of user-supplied data before rendering in web pages. Security headers such as Content Security Policy should be implemented to provide additional protection against script injection attacks. Network-level protections including web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide defense-in-depth measures. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other components of the application stack, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation across all user-controllable parameters within web applications.