CVE-2010-2001 in CiviRegister
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the CiviRegister module before 6.x-1.1 for Drupal allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the URI.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/05/2019
The CVE-2010-2001 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the CiviRegister module for Drupal versions prior to 6.x-1.1. This vulnerability specifically targets the module's handling of URI parameters, creating a pathway for remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected websites. The flaw resides in the module's insufficient input validation and output sanitization mechanisms, which fail to properly filter user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they can be exploited without requiring any authentication or privileged access, making them attractive targets for attackers seeking to compromise user sessions or deface websites.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting as a code injection flaw where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages viewed by other users. The CiviRegister module's failure to sanitize URI parameters creates an environment where attackers can craft malicious URLs containing script tags or other HTML content that gets executed when users navigate to affected pages. This particular variant operates at the application layer, specifically targeting the module's parameter handling routines that process incoming URI data. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that Drupal's architecture allows modules to interact with user-facing interfaces, making the CiviRegister module's exposure surface particularly significant for organizations relying on Drupal for their web presence.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for organizations using affected Drupal installations, as it enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and website defacement. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers can target users from any location without requiring physical access to the network or system. Successful exploitation could lead to complete compromise of user sessions, allowing attackers to impersonate legitimate users and access sensitive information. The vulnerability also poses risks to the overall integrity of the website, as malicious scripts could redirect users to phishing sites or inject advertisements, potentially damaging the organization's reputation and user trust. Organizations utilizing CiviRegister for membership management, event registration, or other sensitive functions face heightened exposure due to the module's potential to serve as a vector for broader attacks.
Security mitigations for CVE-2010-2001 primarily involve immediate patching of the CiviRegister module to version 6.x-1.1 or later, which contains the necessary input validation and sanitization fixes. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures including web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious URI patterns, comprehensive input validation at multiple layers of the application architecture, and regular security audits of third-party modules. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution, while regular monitoring of web server logs can help detect exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing proper security configuration management, ensuring that only necessary modules are installed and that all software components are kept up to date with the latest security patches. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining comprehensive security practices for content management systems and highlights the critical need for regular vulnerability assessments of third-party components that extend core platform functionality. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1059 technique for command and control communications, as the malicious scripts could establish persistent communication channels with attacker-controlled servers.