CVE-2026-52881
Published:July 15, 2026
Updated:August 02, 2026
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
Affected Packages
https://github.com/mantisbt/mantisbt.git (GITHUB):
Affected version(s) >=release-1.0.0 <release-2.28.4Fix Suggestion:
Update to version release-2.28.4mantisbt/mantisbt (PHP):
Affected version(s) >=dev-dependabot/composer/adodb/adodb-php-5.22.4 <2.28.4Fix Suggestion:
Update to version 2.28.4Related Resources (4)
Do you need more information?
Contact UsCVSS v4
Base Score:
9.2
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Attack Complexity
LOW
Attack Requirements
PRESENT
Privileges Required
NONE
User Interaction
NONE
Vulnerable System Confidentiality
HIGH
Vulnerable System Integrity
HIGH
Vulnerable System Availability
LOW
Subsequent System Confidentiality
NONE
Subsequent System Integrity
NONE
Subsequent System Availability
NONE
CVSS v3
Base Score:
9.4
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Attack Complexity
LOW
Privileges Required
NONE
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
HIGH
Availability
LOW
Weakness Type (CWE)
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')