CVE-2019-0867 in Azure DevOps Server
Summary
by MITRE
A Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability exists when Azure DevOps Server and Team Foundation Server do not properly sanitize user provided input, aka 'Azure DevOps Server and Team Foundation Server Cross-site Scripting Vulnerability'. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2019-0866, CVE-2019-0868, CVE-2019-0870, CVE-2019-0871.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/28/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-0867 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Azure DevOps Server and Team Foundation Server implementations. This security weakness stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the web application framework, specifically when processing user-provided data through various interface components and API endpoints. The vulnerability manifests when the system fails to properly sanitize or encode user input before rendering it in web responses, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The affected systems typically process various data inputs including but not limited to comments, work item descriptions, project names, and user profile information, all of which can potentially serve as vectors for exploitation.
The technical exploitation of this XSS vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of input fields that are subsequently displayed without proper sanitization measures. When a malicious user submits crafted script code within user-controllable fields, the application processes this input and renders it directly into HTML responses without appropriate encoding or filtering. This allows attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of other users' browsers, potentially stealing session cookies, modifying web page content, or redirecting users to malicious sites. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires user interaction to be effective, typically involving the viewing of a compromised page or the execution of a crafted URL containing malicious payloads.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-0867 extends beyond simple data integrity concerns to encompass significant security risks for organizations utilizing Azure DevOps Server and Team Foundation Server environments. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges, access sensitive project information, manipulate work items, or gain unauthorized access to source code repositories. The potential for session hijacking represents a particularly severe consequence, as authenticated users' sessions could be compromised, allowing attackers to perform actions with elevated privileges. Organizations may experience data leakage, unauthorized code modifications, and disruption of development workflows, potentially affecting multiple users within the same development environment. The vulnerability affects both the web interface and API endpoints, creating multiple attack surfaces that require comprehensive mitigation strategies.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-0867 should focus on implementing robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application stack. Organizations should immediately apply Microsoft security updates and patches released for this vulnerability, which typically include enhanced sanitization routines and proper HTML encoding of user-provided content. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution, while regular security audits of input handling code should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious input patterns, and establish comprehensive monitoring procedures to identify potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-site Scripting flaws, and represents a technique commonly catalogued under ATT&CK tactic T1059 for command and scripting interpreter, particularly when attackers leverage XSS to establish persistent access through malicious script execution within victim browsers. Organizations should also conduct regular security training for developers to prevent similar input validation issues in future implementations and maintain updated threat intelligence to anticipate related vulnerabilities in the Azure DevOps ecosystem.