CVE-2006-6531 in Help Tip module
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Help Tip module before 4.7.x-1.0 for Drupal allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML, and possibly obtain administrative access, via node titles.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/30/2017
The CVE-2006-6531 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Help Tip module for Drupal platforms prior to version 4.7.x-1.0. This vulnerability exposes web applications to malicious injection attacks that can compromise user sessions and potentially escalate privileges to administrative levels. The flaw specifically targets node titles within the content management system, creating an attack vector where malicious actors can inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content into the application's response. The vulnerability's severity stems from its ability to execute code in the context of the victim's browser, enabling attackers to perform actions such as stealing session cookies, redirecting users to malicious sites, or even gaining administrative access to the platform. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a fundamental web application security weakness that has been consistently identified as one of the most prevalent security flaws in web applications.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when the Help Tip module fails to properly sanitize or escape user input from node titles before rendering them in web pages. When administrators or users view content that contains maliciously crafted node titles, the injected scripts execute in the context of the victim's browser session. This unfiltered input processing creates a persistent XSS vector that can be leveraged by attackers to manipulate the application's behavior and compromise user data. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning because it can potentially allow privilege escalation, meaning that attackers who successfully exploit this XSS flaw might be able to elevate their privileges within the Drupal system. The attack surface is widened by the fact that node titles are commonly editable by various user roles, making it easier for attackers to find opportunities to inject malicious content. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious content and T1071.001 for application layer protocol usage.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can lead to complete system compromise when attackers leverage the XSS flaw to gain administrative privileges. Organizations running affected Drupal versions face significant risks including data theft, service disruption, and potential complete system takeover. The vulnerability affects not only individual user sessions but can also compromise the integrity of the entire content management system, especially when administrators interact with maliciously crafted node titles. Security teams must consider that this vulnerability could be exploited in conjunction with other attacks to create more sophisticated attack chains, potentially leading to persistent access or data exfiltration. The long-term implications include compromised user trust, regulatory compliance violations, and potential legal ramifications for organizations that fail to address this vulnerability promptly. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including input validation, output encoding, and comprehensive security auditing of all modules and themes to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing proper security controls such as content security policies to prevent cross-site scripting attacks from compromising web applications.