CVE-2020-14166 in Jira Service Desk Server
Summary
by MITRE
The /servicedesk/customer/portals resource in Jira Service Desk Server and Data Center before version 4.10.0 allows remote attackers with project administrator privileges to inject arbitrary HTML or JavaScript names via an Cross Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability by uploading a html file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/31/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-14166 represents a critical cross site scripting flaw within Jira Service Desk Server and Data Center platforms prior to version 4.10.0. This security weakness specifically affects the /servicedesk/customer/portals resource, which serves as a gateway for customer portal management within the service desk functionality. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data when processing file uploads. Attackers with project administrator privileges can exploit this weakness by uploading malicious html files containing embedded javascript or html code that executes in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes cross site scripting as a common web application security flaw occurring when applications include untrusted data in web pages without proper validation or escaping. This particular implementation flaw allows attackers to bypass standard security controls by leveraging the legitimate file upload functionality within the service desk portal management system. The attack vector specifically targets the file upload process where the system fails to adequately validate the content type or sanitize the file name and content before rendering it within the customer portal interface. When other users access the portal or view the uploaded files, the injected malicious code executes in their browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or further exploitation of the compromised user's privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution as it enables attackers to manipulate the customer portal experience and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive service desk information. The vulnerability's exploitation requires only project administrator privileges, which are often more readily available than higher-level administrative accounts, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users have varying degrees of access control. Once compromised, attackers can use the portal as a persistent entry point to conduct further reconnaissance, escalate privileges, or launch additional attacks against other system components. The vulnerability also presents a significant risk to user trust and data integrity, as the malicious code can be designed to capture user inputs, redirect traffic, or modify portal content in ways that may not be immediately apparent to system administrators.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to Jira Service Desk version 4.10.0 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the XSS flaw. Additional protective measures should include implementing strict file upload validation controls that enforce content type checking and sanitize all file names and metadata before processing. Network segmentation and monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect anomalous file upload activities and suspicious portal access patterns. The implementation of content security policies and proper output encoding mechanisms can provide additional defense in depth layers against similar vulnerabilities. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive audits of file upload functionalities across all Jira installations to identify and remediate similar issues that may exist in other components of the platform. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and output encoding in web applications, particularly in service desk and customer portal environments where user-generated content processing is common. The attack scenario described in this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and script injection, emphasizing the need for robust application security controls to prevent malicious code execution in web browser contexts.