CVE-2017-14587 in FishEye
Summary
by MITRE
The administration user deletion resource in Atlassian FishEye and Crucible before version 4.4.2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary HTML or JavaScript via a cross site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the uname parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/16/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-14587 represents a critical cross site scripting flaw in Atlassian FishEye and Crucible platforms prior to version 4.4.2. This issue resides within the administration user deletion resource where the uname parameter fails to properly sanitize user input, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary code within the context of affected systems. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that allow attackers to inject malicious scripts into the application's user interface through the username parameter during user deletion operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in software applications. The flaw manifests when administrators attempt to delete users through the administrative interface, as the uname parameter directly reflects user-supplied input without appropriate sanitization measures. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that when processed through the vulnerable deletion endpoint, execute within the browser context of authenticated administrators, potentially compromising the entire administrative session and system access. This vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication to the target system.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-14587 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions. When exploited, this vulnerability allows threat actors to inject JavaScript code that can steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform unauthorized administrative actions on behalf of legitimate users. The attack surface is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where FishEye and Crucible are used for code repository management and code review processes, as administrators often have elevated privileges and access to sensitive source code repositories. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1566.001 for Phishing, as it can be leveraged to establish persistent access through session hijacking.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of the vendor-provided patch version 4.4.2 which addresses the input sanitization issue in the uname parameter handling. Organizations should also implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout their web applications, particularly for parameters that are reflected back to users. Additional protective measures include implementing content security policies to prevent script execution, conducting regular security code reviews, and establishing proper input sanitization protocols that align with OWASP Top Ten security recommendations. Network segmentation and monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect anomalous behavior patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, while regular security assessments should verify that all web applications maintain proper security configurations and input validation mechanisms.