CVE-2010-3094 in Drupal
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Drupal 6.x before 6.18 allow remote authenticated users with certain privileges to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) an action description, (2) an action message, (3) a node, or (4) a taxonomy term, related to the actions feature and the trigger module.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/25/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-3094 represents a significant cross-site scripting flaw affecting Drupal 6.x versions prior to 6.18. This vulnerability resides within the core actions feature and trigger module functionality of the Drupal content management system, creating a persistent security risk for organizations utilizing affected versions. The flaw specifically targets authenticated users who possess certain privileges, making it particularly dangerous in environments where administrative or content management capabilities are granted to multiple users. The vulnerability manifests through four distinct attack vectors that collectively expand the potential exploitation surface, each presenting unique challenges for security hardening and incident response.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within Drupal's actions processing mechanisms. When authenticated users with appropriate privileges create or modify action descriptions, action messages, node content, or taxonomy terms, the system fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before rendering it in web responses. This lack of proper input sanitization creates opportunities for malicious actors to inject malicious javascript code, html payloads, or other harmful content that executes in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and leverages the trust relationship between the web application and its authenticated users, making it particularly insidious as it requires minimal privileges to exploit.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-3094 extends beyond simple data theft or service disruption, potentially enabling attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities within the compromised Drupal environment. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to hijack user sessions, steal sensitive information, modify content, or even escalate privileges within the application. The trigger module's functionality, which enables automated actions based on specific events, amplifies the potential damage as malicious payloads could execute automatically when certain conditions are met. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and represents a classic example of how privileged user input can be weaponized to compromise entire systems. The attack vector operates through standard web protocols, making it accessible to adversaries with basic web security knowledge.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through official Drupal security updates, specifically upgrading to version 6.18 or later where the vulnerability has been patched. The security patch addresses the root cause by implementing proper input sanitization and output encoding for all user-supplied content within the affected modules. Additional mitigations include implementing robust web application firewalls, establishing strict input validation policies, and conducting comprehensive security reviews of user privileges and access controls. Organizations should also consider implementing content security policies to add an additional layer of protection against script injection attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining current security patches and highlights the risks associated with delayed patch management in enterprise web applications. Security teams should conduct thorough testing of the applied patches to ensure compatibility and monitor for potential regression issues while maintaining vigilance against similar vulnerabilities in other modules or components of the Drupal ecosystem.