CVE-2017-18039 in JIRA
Summary
by MITRE
The IncomingMailServers resource in Atlassian Jira from version 6.2.1 before version 7.4.4 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary HTML or JavaScript via a cross site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the messagesThreshold parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/01/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-18039 represents a critical cross site scripting flaw within Atlassian Jira's IncomingMailServers resource functionality. This vulnerability specifically affects versions 6.2.1 through 7.4.3 of the Jira platform, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on email integration features. The flaw exists in the handling of the messagesThreshold parameter, which is used to configure email processing thresholds within the email server configuration interface. Attackers can exploit this weakness by injecting malicious HTML or JavaScript code through this parameter, potentially compromising the integrity of the email processing system and the broader application environment.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the Jira application's email server configuration handling logic. When administrators configure email server parameters through the web interface, the application fails to properly sanitize the messagesThreshold parameter value before rendering it in the user interface. This lack of proper sanitization creates an opportunity for attackers to inject malicious payloads that execute in the context of other users who view the affected configuration pages. The vulnerability is classified as a classic reflected XSS attack vector, where malicious input is immediately reflected back to users without adequate filtering or encoding mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, potentially enabling attackers to perform session hijacking, data theft, and privilege escalation attacks within the Jira environment. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain unauthorized access to email server configurations, potentially leading to unauthorized email processing or even complete system compromise if the email server integration is used for critical business processes. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the Jira application's email processing capabilities, particularly when administrators are logged into the system and view the affected configuration pages. Organizations using Jira's email integration features for ticket creation, notifications, or automated workflows face heightened risk from this vulnerability.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including upgrading to Jira version 7.4.4 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Additionally, administrators should review and restrict access to email server configuration pages to minimize the attack surface, implement proper input validation for all user-supplied parameters, and consider deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious XSS payloads. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross site scripting flaws in web applications, and represents a technique commonly catalogued in the ATT&CK framework under the T1059.007 sub-technique for script injection attacks. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any other parameters that may be susceptible to similar input validation issues, particularly in configuration interfaces that handle user-supplied data.