CVE-2009-4516 in FAQ Ask
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the FAQ Ask module 5.x and 6.x before 6.x-2.0, a module for Drupal, 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-2009-4516 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the FAQ Ask module for Drupal platforms version 5.x and 6.x prior to 6.x-2.0. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws. The issue specifically affects the FAQ Ask module, which is designed to facilitate question-and-answer functionality within Drupal-based websites, making it a significant concern for organizations relying on Drupal for their content management needs.
The technical flaw in this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the FAQ Ask module's handling of user-provided data. Attackers can exploit this weakness through unspecified vectors that likely involve manipulating input fields or parameters used in the module's FAQ display and submission processes. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML code that will execute in the context of other users' browsers when they view affected pages. This occurs because the module fails to properly sanitize or encode user input before rendering it within web pages, creating an environment where malicious code can be stored and subsequently executed.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data corruption or display issues. When exploited, the XSS vulnerability enables attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user information, deface websites, redirect users to malicious sites, or even execute malicious code on victim machines. For organizations using Drupal with the FAQ Ask module, this presents a severe risk to both user privacy and website integrity. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in environments where administrators or authenticated users access the affected sites, as attackers could potentially escalate privileges or gain unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions. The widespread adoption of Drupal as a content management platform means that numerous websites could be at risk, making this vulnerability a significant concern for the broader web application security community.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-4516 should prioritize immediate patching of the FAQ Ask module to version 6.x-2.0 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. Organizations should also implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout their web applications, following the principle of least privilege and ensuring that all user-provided content is properly sanitized before processing. Network security measures such as web application firewalls and content security policies can provide additional layers of protection. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious web content, and T1059.001 for command and control through script injection, making it a critical target for defensive security operations. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in other modules and components of the Drupal platform.