CVE-2017-16865 in JIRA
Summary
by MITRE
The Trello importer in Atlassian Jira before version 7.6.1 allows remote attackers to access the content of internal network resources via a Server Side Request Forgery (SSRF). When running in an environment like Amazon EC2, this flaw maybe used to access to a metadata resource that provides access credentials and other potentially confidential information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/23/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-16865 represents a critical server side request forgery flaw in Atlassian Jira's Trello importer functionality prior to version 7.6.1. This security weakness enables remote attackers to manipulate the application's behavior by tricking it into making unintended requests to internal network resources. The vulnerability specifically affects the import process when users attempt to import data from Trello, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system's trust in internal network communications. The flaw demonstrates a fundamental lack of proper input validation and request routing controls within the importer component, allowing attackers to bypass normal network security boundaries.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of URLs and resource identifiers within the Trello import mechanism. When Jira processes Trello import requests, it fails to properly sanitize or restrict the destinations to which the application can make HTTP requests. This allows attackers to provide malicious URLs that point to internal services or metadata endpoints, particularly affecting cloud environments like Amazon EC2 where internal metadata services are accessible. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and leverages the trust relationship that Jira maintains with internal network resources, making it particularly dangerous in environments where internal services are not properly isolated from external access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can provide attackers with access to sensitive metadata that includes AWS access keys, instance identifiers, and other confidential credentials. In Amazon EC2 environments, the metadata service at http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/ is automatically accessible from within instances and contains critical information such as IAM roles, security credentials, and instance configuration details. Successful exploitation can lead to complete compromise of cloud instances, unauthorized access to additional internal resources, and potential lateral movement within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require physical access or network credentials to exploit it, making it particularly dangerous for organizations with exposed Jira instances.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to Jira version 7.6.1 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the SSRF vulnerability. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be configured to restrict outbound connections from Jira servers to internal metadata services, while implementing proper URL validation and input sanitization measures. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-918, which specifically addresses server side request forgery vulnerabilities, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol manipulation. Security monitoring should focus on detecting unusual outbound requests from Jira servers, particularly to internal IP ranges or metadata endpoints. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls and conducting regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components that may be susceptible to similar attack vectors.