CVE-2019-12866 in YouTrack
Summary
by MITRE
An Insecure Direct Object Reference, with Authorization Bypass through a User-Controlled Key, was possible in JetBrains YouTrack. The issue was fixed in 2018.4.49168.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/30/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-12866 represents a critical Insecure Direct Object Reference flaw that existed within JetBrains YouTrack, a popular issue tracking and project management platform. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-284, which specifically addresses improper access control mechanisms, and demonstrates how user-controllable parameters can be exploited to bypass authorization checks. The vulnerability allowed attackers to manipulate object references directly within the application's URL parameters or API calls, potentially enabling them to access data belonging to other users without proper authentication or authorization.
The technical implementation of this flaw occurred through a user-controlled key mechanism that was not properly validated or sanitized before being used to reference internal objects within the YouTrack system. When users provided specific parameters that controlled object access, the application failed to verify whether the requesting user had legitimate authorization to access the targeted resource. This weakness enabled what is known as an authorization bypass attack, where malicious actors could construct requests using arbitrary identifiers or keys that pointed to objects belonging to other users, effectively allowing them to view, modify, or delete sensitive data across different user accounts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability was significant for organizations relying on YouTrack for project management and issue tracking, as it could lead to unauthorized access to confidential project information, user data, and potentially sensitive business intelligence. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to gain access to private issues, comments, attachments, and other project-related data that should have been restricted to authorized team members only. The vulnerability was particularly concerning because it could be exploited remotely without requiring any authentication credentials, making it an attractive target for automated scanning tools and malicious actors seeking to compromise multiple organizations simultaneously.
This specific vulnerability was addressed by JetBrains in version 2018.4.49168, which implemented proper input validation and authorization checking mechanisms to prevent users from manipulating object references to access unauthorized resources. The fix likely involved implementing server-side validation of user permissions before processing any object reference requests, ensuring that each access attempt was properly authenticated and authorized against the system's access control policies. Organizations using YouTrack should ensure they have updated to the patched version to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability, as the remediation aligns with recommended practices for addressing Insecure Direct Object Reference flaws as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper access control implementation in web applications and the potential consequences of inadequate input validation in multi-tenant systems where user isolation is paramount.