CVE-2018-13401 in JIRA
Summary
by MITRE
The XsrfErrorAction resource in Atlassian Jira before version 7.6.9, from version 7.7.0 before version 7.7.5, from version 7.8.0 before version 7.8.5, from version 7.9.0 before version 7.9.3, from version 7.10.0 before version 7.10.3, from version 7.11.0 before version 7.11.3, from version 7.12.0 before version 7.12.3, and before version 7.13.1 allows remote attackers to obtain a user's Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) token through an open redirect vulnerability.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/06/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-13401 represents a critical security flaw in Atlassian Jira's XsrfErrorAction resource that exposes CSRF tokens to remote attackers through an open redirect mechanism. This issue affects multiple version ranges of Jira, specifically targeting versions prior to the specified patch releases across several major version lines. The vulnerability stems from improper validation of redirect URLs within the CSRF error handling mechanism, creating a pathway for attackers to extract sensitive authentication tokens from legitimate user sessions.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves the XsrfErrorAction component failing to properly sanitize or validate redirect parameters that contain CSRF tokens. When a user encounters a CSRF error in Jira, the system attempts to redirect them to a specified URL while potentially including CSRF tokens in the redirect parameters. The open redirect vulnerability allows attackers to craft malicious URLs that can capture these tokens during the redirect process, effectively enabling session hijacking attacks. This behavior aligns with CWE-601 vulnerability classification, which specifically addresses open redirect flaws that can be exploited to facilitate phishing attacks or session manipulation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple token theft, as it enables sophisticated attack vectors that can compromise user accounts and system integrity. Attackers can leverage the stolen CSRF tokens to perform unauthorized actions within the Jira environment, potentially gaining access to sensitive project data, modifying issues, or even escalating privileges. The vulnerability's presence across multiple version lines indicates a systemic issue in the CSRF token handling mechanism that required patching across several release branches. This widespread impact suggests that organizations running affected Jira versions faced heightened risk of credential theft and unauthorized access to their issue tracking systems.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation and credential access tactics, as it provides attackers with a method to obtain authentication tokens that can be used for further exploitation. The remediation strategy involves applying the appropriate patches released by Atlassian for each affected version range, with organizations needing to prioritize updating their Jira installations to versions that contain the CSRF token validation fixes. Additionally, implementing proper input validation for redirect parameters and monitoring for suspicious redirect patterns can serve as additional defensive measures. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper CSRF token management and the potential consequences of inadequate validation in web application security controls, particularly in enterprise issue tracking systems where access to sensitive project information is common.