CVE-2017-15568 in Redmine
Summary
by MITRE
In Redmine before 3.2.8, 3.3.x before 3.3.5, and 3.4.x before 3.4.3, XSS exists in app/helpers/application_helper.rb via a multi-value field with a crafted value that is mishandled during rendering of issue history.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/03/2023
The vulnerability CVE-2017-15568 represents a cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the Redmine project management platform affecting versions prior to specific patches. This issue resides within the application helper component, specifically in the app/helpers/application_helper.rb file, where multi-value fields containing crafted malicious input are not properly sanitized during the rendering process of issue history. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to adequately escape special characters in user-provided data, creating an avenue for attackers to inject malicious scripts into the application's web interface.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when users interact with multi-value fields within Redmine's issue tracking system, particularly during the display of historical data. When a malicious actor crafts specific input containing script tags or other malicious code within these fields, the application fails to properly encode or escape the content during rendering. This allows the malicious code to execute in the context of other users' browsers who view the affected issue history, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or further exploitation of the compromised user sessions. The vulnerability specifically impacts the rendering of issue history, making it particularly dangerous as it affects data that is frequently accessed and displayed within the application's user interface.
From an operational standpoint, this XSS vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations using Redmine for project management and collaboration. Attackers can leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the browsers of other users, potentially gaining access to sensitive project information, user credentials, or session tokens. The impact extends beyond simple data exposure as the vulnerability can be used to perform actions on behalf of authenticated users, making it particularly dangerous in environments where Redmine is used for sensitive project management or contains confidential business information. The vulnerability affects multiple version streams including 3.2.x, 3.3.x, and 3.4.x, indicating a widespread issue that would require organizations to upgrade across multiple release branches to achieve full protection.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including upgrading to the patched versions 3.2.8, 3.3.5, and 3.4.3 respectively, as these releases contain the necessary fixes to properly sanitize and encode user input during rendering operations. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks, though this should not be considered a replacement for proper input validation and output encoding. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-site Scripting flaws, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1211 which involves manipulating applications to execute arbitrary code. Security teams should also implement regular input validation checks and consider automated scanning tools to identify similar vulnerabilities within their Redmine installations or other web applications that may be susceptible to similar injection flaws.