CVE-2009-2492 in Movable Type
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in mt-wizard.cgi in Six Apart Movable Type before 4.261 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2009-2480.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/18/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-2492 represents a cross-site scripting flaw in Six Apart Movable Type software versions prior to 4.261. This security weakness specifically affects the mt-wizard.cgi component and enables remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected web applications. The vulnerability operates through unspecified vectors that differ from the related CVE-2009-2480, indicating a distinct attack surface within the same software ecosystem. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a critical web application security flaw that allows attackers to inject client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability occurs when the mt-wizard.cgi script fails to properly validate or sanitize user input before processing and rendering it within web page responses. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that contain script code or HTML elements which are then executed in the browsers of unsuspecting users who visit affected pages. The unspecified vectors suggest that multiple input points within the wizard functionality could serve as attack entry points, potentially including form fields, URL parameters, or other user-controllable data elements. This lack of specific vector identification indicates the vulnerability may be widespread across various input handling mechanisms within the wizard component.
The operational impact of CVE-2009-2492 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, defacement of web content, and redirection to malicious sites. When users interact with compromised Movable Type applications, their browsers execute the injected scripts, potentially leading to complete compromise of user sessions and unauthorized access to sensitive data. The vulnerability particularly affects content management systems where users may have elevated privileges, as the executed scripts could leverage these permissions to perform administrative actions. This represents a significant risk for web applications that rely on user-generated content or administrative interfaces, as the attack can be executed without requiring authentication or special privileges.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigation strategies including updating to Movable Type version 4.261 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the XSS flaw. Additionally, input validation and output encoding measures should be strengthened throughout the application to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in other components. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional defense-in-depth measures against script execution, while regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify potential injection points. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for credential access through malicious web content and demonstrates the importance of maintaining current software versions and implementing robust input sanitization practices as recommended by OWASP security guidelines.