CVE-2018-14504 in MantisBT
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in manage_filter_edit_page.php in MantisBT 2.x through 2.15.0. A cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Edit Filter page allows execution of arbitrary code (if CSP settings permit it) when displaying a filter with a crafted name (e.g., 'foobar" onclick="alert(1)').
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/29/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-14504 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the MantisBT bug tracking system version 2.x through 2.15.0. This vulnerability specifically affects the manage_filter_edit_page.php component, which handles the editing and display of user-defined filters within the application's administrative interface. The flaw resides in how the system processes and renders filter names, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into the application's user interface.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the filter name handling mechanism. When a user creates or modifies a filter with a specially crafted name containing malicious script content, the application fails to properly sanitize this input before rendering it in the HTML context. The example provided demonstrates how a filter name such as 'foobar" onclick="alert(1)' could be exploited to execute arbitrary JavaScript when the filter is subsequently displayed to other users. This particular payload would trigger a popup alert dialog, but more sophisticated attacks could execute malicious code with elevated privileges or steal session cookies. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which classifies it as a cross-site scripting weakness, specifically a failure to sanitize user input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it represents a potential gateway for more severe attacks within the MantisBT environment. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially gain unauthorized access to user sessions, escalate privileges, or manipulate the application's functionality to compromise data integrity. The severity increases significantly if the target environment has weak Content Security Policy (CSP) configurations that permit script execution, as this would eliminate the primary defense mechanism against such attacks. The vulnerability affects all users who have access to the filter editing functionality, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where administrators may be targeted to maintain system integrity. From an ATT&CK perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving code injection and session hijacking, potentially enabling lateral movement within the application and data exfiltration.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate input sanitization and output encoding measures. System administrators must ensure that all user-provided data, particularly filter names and other editable fields, undergo proper HTML escaping before rendering in web contexts. The recommended approach involves implementing comprehensive input validation that strips or encodes potentially dangerous characters such as angle brackets, quotes, and script tags. Additionally, organizations should strengthen their Content Security Policy configurations to prevent unauthorized script execution, though this should not be considered a substitute for proper input validation. The most effective long-term solution involves updating to MantisBT versions that have patched this vulnerability, as the developers have addressed the root cause through improved sanitization routines. Regular security audits and input validation testing should be implemented to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components of the application. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious input patterns to detect potential exploitation attempts.