CVE-2009-2133 in Pivot
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Pivot 1.40.4 and 1.40.7 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) menu or (2) sort parameter to pivot/index.php, (3) the value of a check array parameter in a delete action to pivot/index.php, (4) the element name in a check array parameter in a delete action to pivot/index.php, (5) the edituser parameter in an edituser action to pivot/index.php, (6) the edit parameter in a templates action to pivot/index.php, (7) the blog parameter in a blog_edit1 action to pivot/index.php, (8) the cat parameter in a cat_edit action to pivot/index.php, (9) a certain form field in a doaction=1 request to pivot/index.php, (10) the url field in a my_weblog edit_prefs action to pivot/user.php, or (11) the username (aka name) field in a my_weblog reg_user action to pivot/user.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/06/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2009-2133 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Pivot content management systems version 1.40.4 and 1.40.7. This issue stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the application's parameter handling routines. The vulnerability manifests across multiple entry points within the pivot/index.php and pivot/user.php scripts, creating numerous attack vectors that could potentially compromise user sessions and data integrity. The affected parameters span various functional areas including menu navigation, data sorting, user management, template editing, and blog configuration operations, indicating a systemic weakness in the application's security architecture.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the injection of malicious scripts into web forms and URL parameters that are not properly sanitized before being rendered back to users. Attackers can leverage this flaw by crafting malicious payloads that exploit the unchecked input fields, particularly targeting the check array parameters used in delete actions, which represent a sophisticated attack vector requiring careful parameter manipulation. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script execution to potentially enable session hijacking, credential theft, and unauthorized administrative access. According to CWE classification, this represents a CWE-79: Cross-site Scripting vulnerability, specifically manifesting as a stored or reflected XSS attack depending on how the malicious input is processed and stored within the application's data structures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial for organizations relying on Pivot CMS, as it provides attackers with multiple pathways to compromise user accounts and potentially gain full administrative control. The attack surface includes not only standard web application functions like user registration and profile management but also critical administrative operations such as template editing and user management. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for credential access through phishing and T1059.007 for command and script injection, making it particularly dangerous for environments where users may be tricked into clicking malicious links or where automated attack tools can exploit the multiple parameter vectors. The widespread nature of the vulnerability across various application functions suggests that attackers could potentially chain multiple exploits together to achieve more significant compromise.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-2133 require immediate implementation of input validation and output encoding measures across all affected parameters. Organizations should implement proper HTML entity encoding for all user-supplied data before rendering it in web responses, particularly for the identified vulnerable parameters including menu, sort, check array elements, edituser, edit, blog, cat, and form fields. The solution must address both reflected and stored XSS scenarios by ensuring that all input parameters undergo strict sanitization processes before being processed or stored. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against script injection attacks. Regular security audits and input validation testing should be conducted to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future versions of the application. The fix should align with OWASP Top Ten security practices and incorporate defense-in-depth strategies to protect against both current and potential future exploitation vectors.