CVE-2009-4161 in An Searchit
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the [AN] Search it! (an_searchit) extension 2.4.1 and earlier for TYPO3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/26/2017
The CVE-2009-4161 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the AN Search it! extension version 2.4.1 and earlier for the TYPO3 content management system. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically targeting the web application's input validation mechanisms. The vulnerability exists in how the extension processes user-supplied input data within its search functionality, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content into the application's response.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through unspecified vectors within the search it! extension's processing logic. Attackers can craft malicious input strings that contain script tags or other HTML elements which are not properly sanitized or escaped before being rendered in the web application's output. This allows remote attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of other users' browsers who view the affected search results or pages. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it affects a widely used TYPO3 extension, potentially compromising numerous websites that rely on this functionality.
The operational impact of CVE-2009-4161 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user data, redirect users to malicious sites, or even modify content displayed to other users. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require local system access or authentication to exploit it, making it particularly dangerous in web applications where user input is prevalent. When combined with the TYPO3 platform's widespread adoption, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for organizations that have not updated their installations to newer versions of the extension.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability primarily involve immediate patching of the affected AN Search it! extension to version 2.4.2 or later, which contains the necessary input sanitization fixes. Organizations should also implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout their TYPO3 installations to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in other components. The remediation process should include thorough testing of the patched extension to ensure that legitimate functionality remains intact while malicious inputs are properly handled. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect potential exploitation attempts, and the principle of least privilege should be applied to limit the damage that could occur if exploitation were to succeed. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious web content and represents a classic example of how web application vulnerabilities can be exploited for broader security breaches.