CVE-2009-4829 in autologout
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Automated Logout module 6.x-1.x before 6.x-1.7 and 6.x-2.x before 6.x-2.3 for Drupal allows remote authenticated users with administer autologout privileges to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/29/2019
The CVE-2009-4829 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Automated Logout module for Drupal CMS versions 6.x-1.x prior to 6.x-1.7 and 6.x-2.x prior to 6.x-2.3. This vulnerability specifically targets authenticated users who possess administrative privileges, creating a significant security risk for Drupal installations. The flaw resides in how the module processes user input during automated logout operations, allowing malicious actors with sufficient permissions to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content into the application's response. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data theft, as it can enable attackers to execute malicious code in the context of the victim's browser session, potentially leading to complete account compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions. The unspecified vectors suggest that the attack surface may encompass multiple input points within the module's functionality, making it particularly challenging to defend against through simple input validation measures alone.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate output sanitization within the Automated Logout module's codebase. When authenticated administrators interact with the module's administrative interface, particularly during logout configuration or management operations, the system fails to properly escape or validate user-supplied data before rendering it in web responses. This allows attackers to inject malicious payloads that persist in the application's output and execute in the browsers of other users who access the affected pages. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and demonstrates how privilege escalation combined with insufficient input validation can create dangerous attack vectors. The fact that this affects users with "administer autologout privileges" indicates that the vulnerability exploits a trust relationship within the application's permission model, where legitimate administrative actions become attack vectors when combined with inadequate security controls.
The operational impact of CVE-2009-4829 extends far beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with a foothold for more sophisticated attacks within the Drupal environment. An attacker with administrative access to the autologout module can potentially manipulate session management configurations, redirect users to malicious sites, or inject persistent backdoors that maintain access even after the initial exploit. This vulnerability can be leveraged in conjunction with other attack techniques to escalate privileges further or to establish persistent access within the organization's web infrastructure. The risk is particularly elevated in environments where administrators frequently use the autologout module's features, as the attack surface expands with each administrative interaction. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation through web application vulnerabilities and session management attacks, potentially enabling later stages of the attack chain such as command and control communication or data exfiltration.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-4829 primarily focus on immediate patching and access control measures. Organizations should prioritize upgrading to the patched versions of the Automated Logout module, specifically versions 6.x-1.7 and 6.x-2.3, which contain the necessary output sanitization fixes. Additionally, implementing strict input validation and output escaping mechanisms should be enforced across all administrative modules, particularly those handling user-supplied configuration data. Network segmentation and privilege minimization practices should be implemented to reduce the potential impact of successful exploitation, ensuring that administrative privileges are granted only to trusted users with legitimate business needs. Regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other modules, as the underlying architectural flaw demonstrates the importance of consistent security practices throughout the application's codebase. The vulnerability also highlights the necessity of maintaining current security patches for all Drupal modules and core components, as outdated third-party modules often represent the most common attack vectors in web application security breaches.