CVE-2019-8443 in JIRA
Summary
by MITRE
The ViewUpgrades resource in Jira before version 7.13.4, from version 8.0.0 before version 8.0.4, and from version 8.1.0 before version 8.1.1 allows remote attackers who have obtained access to administrator's session to access the ViewUpgrades administrative resource without needing to re-authenticate to pass "WebSudo" through an improper access control vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/24/2023
The CVE-2019-8443 vulnerability represents a critical access control flaw in Atlassian Jira that undermines the security of administrative functions through improper authentication handling. This vulnerability specifically affects Jira versions prior to 7.13.4, 8.0.4, and 8.1.1, where authenticated administrators can be tricked into accessing sensitive administrative resources without proper re-authentication. The flaw resides in the ViewUpgrades resource implementation, which fails to properly validate session integrity when transitioning between administrative functions, creating a pathway for unauthorized access to privileged operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability relies on the improper handling of WebSudo mechanisms within Jira's administrative interface. When administrators access certain administrative functions, the system should require re-authentication or validate the existing session through proper WebSudo mechanisms. However, in affected versions, the ViewUpgrades resource bypasses these security checks, allowing attackers who have already obtained an administrator session to perform privileged actions without additional authentication. This represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege and undermines the multi-factor authentication protections that should be in place for administrative operations. The vulnerability falls under CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization in software systems, specifically targeting access control mechanisms that fail to properly validate user credentials for privileged operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe for organizations relying on Jira for project management and issue tracking, as it effectively allows attackers with a single compromised administrator session to escalate their privileges without additional authentication barriers. This creates a significant risk for organizations where administrators may be targeted through phishing attacks, credential theft, or other initial compromise techniques. Once an attacker obtains an administrator session, they can access sensitive upgrade information, potentially gaining insights into system vulnerabilities, access administrative functions, and perform operations that could compromise the entire Jira instance. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates silently, without alerting the administrator or system monitoring tools to the unauthorized access attempts, making detection extremely difficult.
Organizations should immediately apply the security patches released by Atlassian for versions 7.13.4, 8.0.4, and 8.1.1 to remediate this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and access controls can help limit the impact of potential compromises. Security teams should monitor for suspicious administrative activities and implement proper session management policies that enforce re-authentication for sensitive operations. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation through compromised administrative credentials, making it essential for organizations to maintain robust credential hygiene and session management practices. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments to identify similar access control flaws in their Jira deployments and other enterprise applications.