CVE-2009-0487 in Mahara
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Mahara before 1.0.9 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted forum post.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/27/2018
The CVE-2009-0487 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in the Mahara learning management system prior to version 1.0.9. This vulnerability exposes the platform to remote code execution through malicious web script injection, specifically targeting the forum posting functionality. The flaw enables attackers to craft specially designed forum posts that, when viewed by other users, execute arbitrary JavaScript code within their browser context. This type of vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in web applications. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Mahara platform's forum component, where user-generated content is not properly sanitized before being rendered to other users.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker creates a forum post containing malicious script code within the post content. When other users browse the forum and view the malicious post, their browsers execute the injected JavaScript code, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious websites. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can be leveraged to perform more sophisticated attacks such as CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery) attacks or to establish persistent backdoors within the affected environment. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because forum posts are typically viewed by multiple users, amplifying the potential damage and reach of a single malicious post. This vulnerability directly maps to the ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which covers the use of malicious web content to compromise systems through phishing attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2009-0487 is significant for educational institutions and organizations utilizing Mahara for collaborative learning environments. The vulnerability can lead to unauthorized access to user sessions, data theft, and potential compromise of the entire learning management system. Schools and universities that rely on Mahara for student collaboration, assignment submission, and discussion forums face heightened risk of security breaches when running vulnerable versions of the software. The attack surface is broad as any user with forum posting privileges can potentially serve as an attack vector, making the vulnerability particularly concerning for environments with open posting policies. Organizations may experience reputational damage, regulatory compliance issues, and potential legal consequences if user data is compromised through such an attack. The vulnerability also undermines the trust that users place in the platform, potentially affecting adoption rates and educational outcomes.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-0487 primarily involve immediate patching of the Mahara platform to version 1.0.9 or later, which includes proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations should implement comprehensive web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious script content in forum posts. Regular security audits of user-generated content and enhanced input sanitization processes should be deployed to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components of the system. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution, while user privilege management should be reviewed to limit posting capabilities to trusted users only. Organizations should also establish incident response procedures to quickly identify and respond to potential exploitation attempts, and conduct regular security training for users to recognize and report suspicious forum activity. These measures align with the security principles outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and provide defense-in-depth strategies to protect against similar cross-site scripting vulnerabilities.