CVE-2008-2849 in TrailScout module
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the TrailScout module 5.x before 5.x-1.4 for Drupal allows remote authenticated users, with create post permissions, to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/16/2017
The CVE-2008-2849 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the TrailScout module for Drupal version 5.x prior to 5.x-1.4. This vulnerability specifically affects authenticated users who possess the permission to create posts, making it particularly dangerous in environments where user permissions are not strictly controlled. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent and well-documented web application security flaws in the industry. The TrailScout module, designed to track user activities and generate trail reports, became a vector for malicious code injection when proper input validation and output sanitization mechanisms were absent from the affected codebase.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user-supplied data within the module's post creation functionality. When authenticated users with appropriate permissions submit content through the TrailScout module, the system fails to adequately validate or escape potentially malicious input before rendering it in web pages. This allows attackers to inject arbitrary HTML or JavaScript code that executes in the context of other users' browsers who view the affected content. The unspecified vectors suggest that the vulnerability could manifest through multiple input points within the module, including but not limited to post titles, content fields, or metadata parameters that are processed by the TrailScout module.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it enables attackers to perform session hijacking, redirect users to malicious sites, or execute arbitrary commands on behalf of authenticated users. In a Drupal environment, this could lead to complete compromise of user sessions, particularly if the affected users have administrative privileges. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require physical access to the system, and the authenticated user requirement significantly reduces the attack surface while still maintaining a substantial threat level. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1566.001 (Phishing) and T1059.007 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) techniques, as attackers can use the XSS to deliver malicious payloads and execute code within victim browsers.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement the patch released by the Drupal security team for the TrailScout module, updating to version 5.x-1.4 or later. Network administrators should also consider implementing additional security controls such as web application firewalls that can detect and block XSS payloads, though these should be viewed as temporary mitigations rather than permanent solutions. Input validation should be strengthened across all user-facing modules, with particular attention to the sanitization of data before rendering in web contexts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of the principle of least privilege, where users should only be granted the minimum permissions necessary to perform their tasks, reducing the potential impact of such vulnerabilities. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious content creation patterns and unusual user behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other custom modules, as the absence of proper input sanitization is a common pattern that can lead to various security issues.