CVE-2009-4388 in Nl Listman
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the ListMan (nl_listman) extension 1.2.1 for TYPO3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/27/2017
The CVE-2009-4388 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the ListMan extension version 1.2.1 for the TYPO3 content management system. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting attacks where malicious scripts are injected into otherwise trusted websites. The vulnerability exists within the nl_listman extension, a component designed to manage mailing lists within TYPO3 environments, making it a significant concern for organizations relying on TYPO3 for their web presence.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the ListMan extension's handling of user-supplied data. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that get executed when other users view affected pages. The unspecified vectors suggest that multiple entry points within the extension could be compromised, potentially including form inputs, URL parameters, or data fields used for managing mailing list subscriptions and communications. This lack of specificity in the vector description indicates a broad attack surface that could be leveraged through various means of data injection.
The operational impact of CVE-2009-4388 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, deface websites, steal sensitive user information, or redirect victims to malicious sites. In a typical TYPO3 environment where ListMan is used for managing newsletters and user communications, this vulnerability could allow attackers to compromise user sessions and gain unauthorized access to mailing list management features. The vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers spearphishing attacks that leverage web-based exploits to compromise systems. Organizations using this extension could face reputational damage, data breaches, and potential regulatory compliance issues if user data is compromised through this vulnerability.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-4388 should prioritize immediate patching of the ListMan extension to version 1.2.2 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. System administrators should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms across all user-facing interfaces within TYPO3 installations. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by restricting access to mailing list management functions to authorized personnel only. Additionally, organizations should deploy web application firewalls and implement content security policies to provide additional layers of protection against XSS attacks. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other TYPO3 extensions and the core system itself. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date CMS extensions and following secure coding practices as outlined in OWASP Top Ten security guidelines.