CVE-2010-3669 in TYPO3
Summary
by MITRE
TYPO3 before 4.2.13, 4.3.x before 4.3.4 and 4.4.x before 4.4.1 allows XSS and Open Redirection in the frontend login box.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/05/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-3669 affects TYPO3 content management systems across multiple version ranges including versions prior to 4.2.13 in the 4.2.x series, 4.3.4 in the 4.3.x series, and 4.4.1 in the 4.4.x series. This security flaw resides within the frontend login box functionality of the TYPO3 platform, creating exploitable conditions that enable malicious actors to execute cross-site scripting attacks and facilitate open redirection scenarios. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output encoding in web application security, particularly within authentication mechanisms that users frequently interact with.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input within the frontend login box component. Attackers can manipulate the login form parameters to inject malicious scripts or redirect URLs that bypass normal validation checks. When users interact with the compromised login interface, these malicious inputs can execute in the context of other users' browsers, enabling session hijacking, credential theft, or the delivery of malicious content. The flaw specifically impacts the handling of redirect parameters and input fields within the authentication flow, allowing attackers to craft URLs that appear legitimate but redirect users to malicious destinations or inject script code that executes upon page load.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-3669 extends beyond simple script execution to encompass broader security implications for TYPO3 installations. Cross-site scripting vulnerabilities of this nature can lead to complete session compromise, allowing attackers to impersonate legitimate users and access restricted content or perform unauthorized actions within the CMS. Open redirection vulnerabilities create additional attack vectors where users might be unknowingly redirected to phishing sites or malicious domains, potentially leading to credential harvesting or further exploitation. These combined effects significantly weaken the security posture of affected TYPO3 installations and can result in data breaches or unauthorized content modification.
Organizations running affected TYPO3 versions should prioritize immediate remediation through official patch updates provided by the TYPO3 project. The recommended mitigation strategy involves upgrading to patched versions 4.2.13, 4.3.4, or 4.4.1 respectively, which contain proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. Security teams should also implement additional defensive measures including web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious input patterns, regular security scanning of web applications, and monitoring for suspicious redirect activities. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 for cross-site scripting and CWE-601 for open redirect vulnerabilities, both of which are categorized under the OWASP Top Ten as critical security risks. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1566 for phishing and T1071 for application layer protocols, demonstrating how frontend authentication flaws can serve as initial access vectors for more sophisticated attacks.