CVE-2010-2615 in Grafik
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in admin/admin.php in Grafik CMS 1.1.2, and possibly earlier, allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) page_menu and (2) description parameters in an edit_page action.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/02/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-2615 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within Grafik CMS version 1.1.2 and potentially earlier iterations. This vulnerability resides in the administrative interface component admin/admin.php, specifically targeting the edit_page action functionality. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user input parameters, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of authenticated admin sessions. The vulnerability affects two distinct parameter fields: page_menu and description, both of which are processed during the page editing workflow. This represents a classic server-side input validation failure that directly violates secure coding principles and industry standards such as CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting vulnerabilities as a fundamental weakness in web application security.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to gain access to the administrative interface of the CMS, typically through legitimate credentials or by compromising an existing admin session. Once inside the administrative area, the attacker can craft malicious payloads that target the vulnerable page_menu and description parameters during the edit_page action. These parameters are likely processed and rendered back to the user interface without proper sanitization or output encoding, allowing malicious script code to execute in the browser context of other administrators or users who view the affected pages. The vulnerability's impact is significantly amplified because it occurs within the administrative section of the CMS, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges, modify content, or even gain full control over the web application. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007, which covers scripting languages and command execution, and T1566.002, which addresses credential access through web application attacks.
The operational consequences of this vulnerability extend beyond simple script injection, as it can lead to complete compromise of the affected CMS instance. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could manipulate page content, inject malicious links, or even establish persistent backdoors within the administrative interface. The impact on the organization's web presence could be severe, potentially leading to data breaches, defacement of web content, or serving as a stepping stone for further attacks within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability demonstrates a critical failure in input validation and output encoding practices that should be implemented at multiple layers according to defense-in-depth principles. Organizations using Grafik CMS versions affected by this vulnerability face significant risk exposure, particularly in environments where administrative access is not properly secured or where session management is inadequate. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple versions indicates a systemic issue in the application's security architecture that requires immediate remediation through code-level fixes, proper parameter validation, and comprehensive input sanitization mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-2615 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Grafik CMS installations to the latest available versions that contain proper input validation and output encoding fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious script injection attempts targeting these specific parameter fields. Additionally, administrative access should be protected through multi-factor authentication, strict session management policies, and regular security audits of administrative interfaces. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against script execution, while regular security training for administrators can help prevent social engineering attacks that might lead to credential compromise. According to industry best practices and security frameworks such as NIST SP 800-53, proper input validation and output encoding should be implemented as core security controls, with regular vulnerability assessments to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in web applications. Organizations should also consider implementing automated monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous behavior in administrative interfaces, particularly when suspicious parameters are submitted during content editing operations.