CVE-2024-23319 in Mattermost
Summary
by MITRE • 02/09/2024
Mattermost Jira Plugin fails to protect against logout CSRF allowing an attacker to post a specially crafted message that would disconnect a user's Jira connection in Mattermost only by viewing the message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/03/2024
The vulnerability CVE-2024-23319 represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw in the Mattermost Jira plugin that fundamentally undermines user session security and authorization controls. This issue specifically affects the plugin's handling of logout operations within the Mattermost communication platform, creating a dangerous attack vector that can be exploited through seemingly benign message content. The flaw demonstrates a classic CSRF vulnerability where the application fails to implement proper anti-CSRF mechanisms when processing logout requests from integrated Jira services. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it allows attackers to manipulate user sessions without requiring authentication credentials or direct access to user accounts, making it an attractive target for malicious actors seeking to disrupt user workflows and potentially escalate privileges through session hijacking.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to validate the authenticity of logout requests originating from external Jira services within the Mattermost environment. When a user views a specially crafted message containing malicious payload, the system processes the logout request without proper verification of the request source or user consent. This flaw exists at the intersection of web application security principles and integration protocols, where the plugin does not adequately implement token-based validation or referer checking mechanisms that would normally prevent unauthorized requests from being processed. The vulnerability is classified as a CWE-352 Cross-Site Request Forgery, which is a well-documented weakness in web applications where the application fails to validate that requests originate from legitimate sources. The attack can be executed through various means including email attachments, chat messages, or any content delivery mechanism that allows arbitrary HTML or markdown content to be rendered within the Mattermost interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple session disruption, creating potential security risks that could be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks within the Mattermost ecosystem. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can effectively disconnect users from their Jira integrations, potentially disrupting workflow processes, losing important data synchronization, or creating confusion among team members who rely on integrated communication and project management tools. The vulnerability also represents a potential stepping stone for attackers to escalate privileges or gain deeper access to the Mattermost environment, as compromised Jira connections may contain sensitive project information or administrative access levels. According to ATT&CK framework tactic TA0006 Credential Access and technique T1566 credential access through social engineering, this vulnerability enables attackers to exploit user trust and potentially gain unauthorized access to integrated services, while also representing a compromise of the application's integrity and availability through unauthorized session manipulation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-23319 should focus on implementing robust anti-CSRF protections within the Mattermost Jira plugin and ensuring proper request validation mechanisms are in place for all integration endpoints. Organizations should immediately apply security patches provided by Mattermost or implement temporary workarounds such as disabling the vulnerable plugin functionality until proper fixes are deployed. The solution requires the implementation of unique, unpredictable tokens for each user session that must be validated on logout requests, along with proper referer header checking and origin validation. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing network-level controls to restrict external content rendering and establish proper access controls for plugin configurations. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual logout patterns or unauthorized integration modifications that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper security testing for integrated applications and demonstrates how seemingly simple integration points can become critical attack vectors when proper security controls are not implemented. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security reviews of all third-party integrations to identify similar vulnerabilities that might exist in other connected services.