CVE-2008-2773 in Taxonomy Image module
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Taxonomy Image module 5.x before 5.x-1.3 and 6.x before 6.x-1.3, a module for Drupal, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/12/2017
The CVE-2008-2773 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Taxonomy Image module for Drupal platforms, affecting versions 5.x prior to 5.x-1.3 and 6.x prior to 6.x-1.3. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically targeting web applications that process user input without proper sanitization. The Taxonomy Image module, designed to enhance Drupal's taxonomy functionality by allowing image attachments to taxonomy terms, became a vector for malicious code injection when it failed to adequately validate or escape user-supplied data. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the description suggest that multiple input points within the module could be exploited, making the vulnerability particularly concerning for security practitioners as it could potentially be leveraged through various attack surfaces.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers can inject malicious scripts or HTML code through the module's handling of taxonomy term data. The flaw arises from insufficient input validation and output encoding practices within the module's codebase, allowing attackers to craft malicious payloads that would be executed in the context of other users' browsers when they view affected taxonomy terms. This type of vulnerability enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, defacement of web content, and redirection to malicious sites. The impact is particularly severe in environments where Drupal sites are used for content management and where users may have varying levels of trust within the system, as the injected scripts could target any user who accesses the compromised taxonomy term pages.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-2773 extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it can serve as a foothold for more sophisticated attacks within the Drupal ecosystem. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access patterns, potentially using the compromised site as a launch point for attacks against other systems or to create backdoors for future exploitation. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers spearphishing with a malicious attachment, as attackers could craft malicious taxonomy terms that, when viewed by administrators or other users, would execute their payloads. Organizations running vulnerable Drupal installations face significant risk of data breaches, service disruption, and potential regulatory compliance violations, especially in environments where sensitive information is managed through taxonomy-based content structures.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-2773 require immediate action to upgrade the Taxonomy Image module to versions 5.x-1.3 or 6.x-1.3, which contain the necessary patches to address the XSS vulnerability. System administrators should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding practices throughout their Drupal installations, particularly focusing on user-generated content and taxonomy term data. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining updated module versions and following secure coding practices such as those outlined in the OWASP Secure Coding Practices. Additionally, organizations should deploy web application firewalls and content security policies to provide additional layers of protection against similar vulnerabilities. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify potential XSS vectors within custom modules and themes, as this vulnerability highlights the critical need for defensive coding practices and the implementation of proper data sanitization mechanisms. The incident also underscores the necessity of keeping all Drupal core components and contributed modules up to date, as outdated software represents one of the most common attack vectors in web application security breaches.