CVE-2009-4526 in Print
Summary
by MITRE
The Send by e-mail sub-module in the Print (aka Printer, e-mail and PDF versions) module 5.x before 5.x-4.9 and 6.x before 6.x-1.9, a module for Drupal, does not properly enforce privilege requirements, which allows remote attackers to read page titles by requesting a "Send to friend" form.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-4526 affects the Send by e-mail sub-module within Drupal's Print module, specifically impacting versions 5.x prior to 5.x-4.9 and 6.x prior to 6.x-1.9. This security flaw represents a critical access control weakness that undermines the fundamental security model of the Drupal content management system. The vulnerability stems from inadequate privilege enforcement mechanisms within the module's implementation, creating a pathway for unauthorized users to bypass normal access controls and gain information disclosure capabilities.
The technical flaw manifests in the module's failure to properly validate user permissions when processing requests for the "Send to friend" functionality. When remote attackers submit requests to access this feature, the system does not adequately verify whether the requesting user possesses the necessary privileges to perform such actions. This oversight allows unauthenticated or low-privileged users to retrieve page titles and potentially other sensitive information that would normally be restricted to authorized personnel. The vulnerability operates at the application layer, specifically targeting the module's form handling and access control logic, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited without requiring significant technical expertise or prior access to the system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can serve as a reconnaissance tool for attackers seeking to map the structure and content of Drupal websites. By accessing page titles through the Send to friend form, malicious actors can gather intelligence about website content organization, identify sensitive pages, and potentially discover vulnerabilities in other parts of the system. This information leakage can be particularly damaging for organizations that rely on the confidentiality of their website structure and content. The vulnerability also demonstrates poor security practices in privilege enforcement, which can indicate broader issues within the module's architecture and potentially affect other components of the Drupal system.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement the available security patches provided by the Drupal project, which address the privilege enforcement shortcomings in the Print module. The mitigation strategy should also include reviewing and strengthening access control configurations within the Drupal installation, ensuring that proper user authentication and authorization mechanisms are in place. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any other modules or components that may exhibit similar privilege enforcement weaknesses. Additionally, implementing network-level controls such as web application firewalls and monitoring for unusual access patterns can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control issues, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege that should be enforced throughout all application components. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a privilege escalation technique, as it allows attackers to gain unauthorized access to information that should be restricted, potentially enabling more sophisticated attacks and further compromise of the affected systems.