CVE-2017-7620 in MantisBT
Summary
by MITRE
MantisBT before 2.4.1 allows Permalink Injection via CSRF attacks on a permalink_page.php?url= URI. This is caused by a lack of a backslash check in string_api.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/07/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-7620 affects MantisBT versions prior to 2.4.1 and represents a critical security flaw that enables permalink injection through cross-site request forgery attacks. This vulnerability specifically targets the permalink_page.php component where attackers can manipulate the url parameter to inject malicious permalinks. The root cause lies within the string_api.php file which fails to properly validate or sanitize input strings before processing them, creating an avenue for malicious actors to exploit the system's trust in user-provided data. The vulnerability operates by leveraging CSRF techniques to manipulate the permalink generation process, allowing unauthorized users to inject arbitrary URLs that could redirect victims to malicious websites or execute unintended operations within the MantisBT environment.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the application's core string processing functions. When MantisBT processes permalink requests through the permalink_page.php endpoint, the system does not adequately sanitize the url parameter to prevent the insertion of backslash characters or other potentially dangerous sequences that could alter the intended behavior of the permalink system. This lack of proper sanitization creates a pathway for attackers to manipulate the application's URL handling logic, potentially leading to unauthorized redirections or the execution of unintended commands. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-116 which addresses improper encoding or escaping of output, and more specifically with CWE-79 which deals with cross-site scripting vulnerabilities that can be leveraged for similar injection attacks.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations using affected MantisBT versions as it can be exploited to redirect users to phishing sites, deliver malicious payloads, or manipulate the application's navigation behavior. Attackers can craft malicious links that, when clicked by unsuspecting users, would redirect them to harmful destinations while maintaining the appearance of legitimate MantisBT functionality. The CSRF component amplifies the threat as it allows attackers to perform these manipulations without requiring direct user interaction beyond clicking a malicious link, making the attack vector particularly insidious. This vulnerability can compromise user trust in the application, potentially leading to data breaches, credential theft, or further exploitation of the compromised system. Organizations may also face reputational damage if users are redirected to malicious sites through this vulnerability.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2017-7620 primarily involves upgrading to MantisBT version 2.4.1 or later, which includes proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms. System administrators should also implement additional security measures such as strict input validation at multiple layers, including the application firewall and web application security controls. Regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the system. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious permalink injection attempts, and establish proper monitoring procedures to identify anomalous URL handling patterns. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and output encoding practices, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and script injection, and reinforces the need for comprehensive security testing including penetration testing and vulnerability scanning to identify similar weaknesses in the application stack.