CVE-2018-5229 in Universal Plugin Manager
Summary
by MITRE
The NotificationRepresentationFactoryImpl class in Atlassian Universal Plugin Manager before version 2.22.9 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary HTML or JavaScript via a cross site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the name of user submitted add-on names.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/05/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-5229 represents a critical cross site scripting flaw within Atlassian's Universal Plugin Manager component. This issue specifically affects the NotificationRepresentationFactoryImpl class which handles user submitted add-on names without proper sanitization of input data. The vulnerability exists in versions prior to 2.22.9, making a substantial portion of Atlassian's user base potentially susceptible to this attack vector. The flaw allows remote attackers to inject malicious HTML or JavaScript code directly into the application's notification system through carefully crafted add-on name submissions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the plugin management framework. When users submit add-on names through the interface, the system fails to properly sanitize these inputs before rendering them in the user interface context. This creates an opportunity for attackers to embed malicious scripts that execute in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability manifests when the application displays these user-provided names in notification messages, enabling attackers to craft payloads that can steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The flaw operates under the common CWE-79 classification for cross site scripting vulnerabilities, specifically targeting the failure to properly encode data before rendering it in web contexts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement. Attackers can leverage this weakness to establish persistent access patterns within Atlassian environments, particularly in organizations where plugin management is frequently used. The attack surface includes any user with permissions to submit plugins or add-ons, potentially compromising entire organizational systems if attackers can elevate privileges through session hijacking or credential theft. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 for credential harvesting and T1059 for command and control through malicious code execution. Organizations using older versions of Atlassian products face significant risk of unauthorized access to sensitive project data, configuration information, and user credentials stored within these platforms.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-5229 focus primarily on immediate version updates to Atlassian Universal Plugin Manager 2.22.9 or later releases. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation policies that sanitize all user-provided data before processing or display, particularly for fields that appear in notification contexts. Security teams should deploy web application firewalls with XSS detection capabilities and establish monitoring protocols for unusual plugin submission patterns. Additionally, implementing content security policies can provide an additional layer of protection by restricting script execution within the application context. Regular security assessments of plugin management interfaces and user input handling mechanisms should be conducted to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components of the Atlassian ecosystem. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing robust input sanitization practices in web applications to prevent exploitation of similar cross site scripting flaws.