CVE-2009-4371 in Drupal
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Locale module (modules/locale/locale.module) in Drupal Core 6.14, and possibly other versions including 6.15, allows remote authenticated users with "administer languages" permissions to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) Language name in English or (2) Native language name fields in the Custom language form.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/25/2019
The CVE-2009-4371 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Drupal Core's Locale module, specifically affecting version 6.14 and potentially other versions including 6.15. This vulnerability resides in the modules/locale/locale.module file and demonstrates a classic weakness in input validation and output sanitization within web applications. The flaw enables authenticated attackers who possess the "administer languages" permission to execute malicious code through carefully crafted input in language configuration forms.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user-supplied data in two specific fields of the Custom language form: the Language name in English field and the Native language name field. When administrators input data into these fields, the system fails to properly escape or validate the content before rendering it in the web interface. This creates an opportunity for attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only authenticated access with specific administrative permissions, making it accessible to users who have legitimate reasons to modify language settings within the CMS.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and data manipulation. An attacker with the required permissions could craft malicious input that, when viewed by other administrators or users, would execute scripts that could steal cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or even modify content within the Drupal installation. This represents a significant risk to the integrity and security of the entire web application, as the injected scripts would execute with the privileges of the affected users. The vulnerability specifically aligns with CWE-79, which catalogs cross-site scripting flaws, and demonstrates how insufficient input validation can lead to severe security consequences in content management systems.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of Drupal Core, applying the relevant security patches, and implementing additional input validation measures. The remediation process should involve thorough testing of the updated system to ensure that the vulnerability has been properly addressed without introducing regressions. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive audits of their Drupal installations to identify any other potential XSS vulnerabilities in custom modules or themes. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving command and control communications and credential access, as it enables attackers to establish persistent access through session manipulation and data exfiltration capabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and content security policies as additional defensive measures to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in the future.