CVE-2009-3915 in Link
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the "Separate title and URL" formatter in the Link module 5.x before 5.x-2.6 and 6.x before 6.x-2.7, a module for Drupal, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the link title field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/23/2019
The CVE-2009-3915 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Drupal content management system's Link module, specifically affecting versions 5.x prior to 5.x-2.6 and 6.x prior to 6.x-2.7. This vulnerability resides in the "Separate title and URL" formatter implementation, which is responsible for displaying links with distinct title and URL components. The flaw enables remote attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML code through the link title field, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity across the entire Drupal installation.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when the Drupal Link module processes user-provided input in the link title field without proper sanitization or validation. When the affected formatter renders these links on web pages, the malicious code becomes embedded within the HTML output and executes in the context of other users' browsers who view the compromised pages. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which specifically addresses the failure to sanitize user input before incorporating it into web page content. The vulnerability's classification aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190 - Exploit Public-Facing Application, as it targets a publicly accessible module component that can be manipulated through user input.
The operational impact of CVE-2009-3915 extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with potential access to user sessions, credential theft, and data manipulation capabilities. An attacker could craft malicious link titles that, when clicked by other users, would execute scripts to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or even modify content on the Drupal site. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of Drupal's link management system, potentially compromising thousands of websites that rely on the affected module versions. The risk is particularly severe because the Link module is commonly used across various Drupal installations, making this vulnerability a widespread threat vector that could affect numerous organizations simultaneously.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-3915 require immediate implementation of security patches provided by the Drupal security team, specifically upgrading to versions 5.x-2.6 or 6.x-2.7 where the vulnerability has been addressed. Organizations should also implement comprehensive input validation and output sanitization measures, particularly for user-generated content fields within the Link module. Network administrators should consider implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious script injection attempts targeting known XSS patterns. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual link creation patterns or suspicious user activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of keeping CMS components updated and following security best practices for input handling, as outlined in OWASP Top 10 2017 category A03: Injection, which emphasizes the need for proper input validation and output encoding to prevent injection-based attacks.