MantisBT 2.28.3 and earlier contains six reflected XSS injection points in `/admin/install.php`. User-supplied parameters are echoed into HTML without escaping via an unescaped printf format string. No authentication is required. A Content Security Policy (script-src 'self') prevents inline JavaScript execution, but the CSP is missing a form-action directive, allowing exploitation via credential-phishing form injection and <meta> open redirects. ### Impact - Credential phishing: Attacker crafts a URL that renders a fake login form on the real MantisBT admin page. Admin credentials are submitted to an attacker-controlled server. - Open redirect: Victim is silently redirected to a phishing or malware site. - UI manipulation: CSS injection can hide legitimate page content and overlay attacker-controlled HTML, enabling social engineering. ### Patches - https://github.com/mantisbt/mantisbt/commit/297773fbb238c39a153bd888431b41a176132098 ### Workarounds Remove the `/admin` directory, as [recommended in the Admin Guide](https://mantisbt.org/docs/master/en-US/Admin_Guide/html-desktop/#admin.install.postcommon) ### Resources - https://mantisbt.org/bugs/view.php?id=37103 - related advisory [GHSA-77x8-3v3h-hrhv](https://github.com/mantisbt/mantisbt/security/advisories/GHSA-77x8-3v3h-hrhv) ### Credits McCaulay Hudson (@_McCaulay) of watchTowr
MantisBT 2.28.3 and earlier contains six reflected XSS injection points in `/admin/install.php`. User-supplied parameters are echoed into HTML without escaping via an unescaped printf format string. No authentication is required. A Content Security Policy (script-src 'self') prevents inline JavaScript execution, but the CSP is missing a form-action directive, allowing exploitation via credential-phishing form injection and <meta> open redirects. ### Impact - Credential phishing: Attacker crafts a URL that renders a fake login form on the real MantisBT admin page. Admin credentials are submitted to an attacker-controlled server. - Open redirect: Victim is silently redirected to a phishing or malware site. - UI manipulation: CSS injection can hide legitimate page content and overlay attacker-controlled HTML, enabling social engineering. ### Patches - https://github.com/mantisbt/mantisbt/commit/297773fbb238c39a153bd888431b41a176132098 ### Workarounds Remove the `/admin` directory, as [recommended in the Admin Guide](https://mantisbt.org/docs/master/en-US/Admin_Guide/html-desktop/#admin.install.postcommon) ### Resources - https://mantisbt.org/bugs/view.php?id=37103 - related advisory [GHSA-77x8-3v3h-hrhv](https://github.com/mantisbt/mantisbt/security/advisories/GHSA-77x8-3v3h-hrhv) ### Credits McCaulay Hudson (@_McCaulay) of watchTowr
Update mantisbt/mantisbt to 2.28.4 if you use the affected versions. Test the change in a non-production environment first.
Local check
hol-guard supply-chain scanMantisBT: Reflected XSS in admin/install.php via unescaped printf affects mantisbt/mantisbt (composer). Severity is critical. MantisBT 2.28.3 and earlier contains six reflected XSS injection points in `/admin/install.php`. User-supplied parameters are echoed into HTML without escaping via an unescaped printf format string. No authentication is required. A Content Security Policy (script-src 'self') prevents inline JavaScript execution, but the CSP is missing a form-action directive, allowing exploitation via credential-phishing form injection and <meta> open redirects. ### Impact - Credential phishing: Attacker crafts a URL that renders a fake login form on the real MantisBT admin page. Admin credentials are submitted to an attacker-controlled server. - Open redirect: Victim is silently redirected to a phishing or malware site. - UI manipulation: CSS injection can hide legitimate page content and overlay attacker-controlled HTML, enabling social engineering. ### Patches - https://github.com/mantisbt/mantisbt/commit/297773fbb238c39a153bd888431b41a176132098 ### Workarounds Remove the `/admin` directory, as [recommended in the Admin Guide](https://mantisbt.org/docs/master/en-US/Admin_Guide/html-desktop/#admin.install.postcommon) ### Resources - https://mantisbt.org/bugs/view.php?id=37103 - related advisory [GHSA-77x8-3v3h-hrhv](https://github.com/mantisbt/mantisbt/security/advisories/GHSA-77x8-3v3h-hrhv) ### Credits McCaulay Hudson (@_McCaulay) of watchTowr
AI coding agents often install or upgrade packages automatically in composer. A critical vulnerability in a dependency can be pulled into a project through a normal install or update without a human reviewing the change, expanding the blast radius from a single package to every agent workspace that depends on it.
| Package | Affected range | Fixed version |
|---|---|---|
| mantisbt/mantisbtcomposer | <=2.28.3 | 2.28.4 |
Fixed versions are reported by the source feed; confirm compatibility before updating.
Reported by GitHub Security Advisories (ghsa).
HOL Guard can help your team review package activity against supported protection paths.
Explore HOL GuardUpdate mantisbt/mantisbt to 2.28.4 if you use the affected versions. Test the change in a non-production environment first.
Local check
hol-guard supply-chain scanMantisBT: Reflected XSS in admin/install.php via unescaped printf affects mantisbt/mantisbt (composer). Severity is critical. MantisBT 2.28.3 and earlier contains six reflected XSS injection points in `/admin/install.php`. User-supplied parameters are echoed into HTML without escaping via an unescaped printf format string. No authentication is required. A Content Security Policy (script-src 'self') prevents inline JavaScript execution, but the CSP is missing a form-action directive, allowing exploitation via credential-phishing form injection and <meta> open redirects. ### Impact - Credential phishing: Attacker crafts a URL that renders a fake login form on the real MantisBT admin page. Admin credentials are submitted to an attacker-controlled server. - Open redirect: Victim is silently redirected to a phishing or malware site. - UI manipulation: CSS injection can hide legitimate page content and overlay attacker-controlled HTML, enabling social engineering. ### Patches - https://github.com/mantisbt/mantisbt/commit/297773fbb238c39a153bd888431b41a176132098 ### Workarounds Remove the `/admin` directory, as [recommended in the Admin Guide](https://mantisbt.org/docs/master/en-US/Admin_Guide/html-desktop/#admin.install.postcommon) ### Resources - https://mantisbt.org/bugs/view.php?id=37103 - related advisory [GHSA-77x8-3v3h-hrhv](https://github.com/mantisbt/mantisbt/security/advisories/GHSA-77x8-3v3h-hrhv) ### Credits McCaulay Hudson (@_McCaulay) of watchTowr
AI coding agents often install or upgrade packages automatically in composer. A critical vulnerability in a dependency can be pulled into a project through a normal install or update without a human reviewing the change, expanding the blast radius from a single package to every agent workspace that depends on it.
| Package | Affected range | Fixed version |
|---|---|---|
| mantisbt/mantisbtcomposer | <=2.28.3 | 2.28.4 |
Fixed versions are reported by the source feed; confirm compatibility before updating.
Reported by GitHub Security Advisories (ghsa).
HOL Guard can help your team review package activity against supported protection paths.
Explore HOL Guard