CVE-2010-3715 in TYPO3
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in TYPO3 4.2.x before 4.2.15, 4.3.x before 4.3.7, and 4.4.x before 4.4.4 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via vectors related to (1) the RemoveXSS function, and allow remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via vectors related to (2) the backend.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/28/2021
The vulnerability CVE-2010-3715 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness affecting TYPO3 content management systems across multiple version ranges. This vulnerability resides in the core security mechanisms of the platform, specifically within the RemoveXSS function and backend processing components. The flaw allows attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of other users' browsers, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity. The affected versions include TYPO3 4.2.x before 4.2.15, 4.3.x before 4.3.7, and 4.4.x before 4.4.4, indicating a widespread impact across the TYPO3 4.x release series. This vulnerability type falls under CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as weaknesses in web applications that allow attackers to inject client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization within TYPO3's security framework. The RemoveXSS function, designed to filter potentially dangerous content, failed to properly handle certain input patterns that would normally be neutralized. Attackers could exploit this by crafting malicious payloads that bypassed the XSS filtering mechanisms, particularly when the backend processing components were involved. This dual-vector attack surface means that both unauthenticated remote attackers and authenticated users with backend access could leverage the vulnerability. The backend-specific vector suggests that the vulnerability was not merely in the frontend filtering but also in how the system processed administrative inputs, potentially allowing privilege escalation or more sophisticated attack chains.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-3715 extends beyond simple script injection, as it creates opportunities for session hijacking, credential theft, and data manipulation. Remote attackers could inject malicious scripts that would execute in users' browsers, potentially stealing session cookies or redirecting users to phishing sites. Authenticated users with backend access could leverage the vulnerability to inject persistent scripts that would affect all users interacting with the system, including administrators. This creates a particularly dangerous scenario where an attacker could establish a foothold within the system and maintain persistence. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which describes social engineering attacks through malicious content, and T1059 which covers command and scripting interpreter techniques. Organizations using affected TYPO3 versions faced significant risk of unauthorized access and data compromise, particularly in environments where users had varying levels of trust.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-3715 required immediate patching of affected TYPO3 installations to versions 4.2.15, 4.3.7, and 4.4.4 respectively. System administrators should have implemented comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent similar vulnerabilities from arising in custom extensions. The fix addressed the core issue in the RemoveXSS function by improving the filtering logic and ensuring that all user-supplied input was properly sanitized before processing. Security monitoring should have been enhanced to detect suspicious input patterns and script injection attempts. Organizations were advised to review their TYPO3 configurations and ensure that backend access controls were properly implemented. Additionally, implementing content security policies and regular security audits would have provided additional defense layers against similar vulnerabilities. The incident highlighted the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing robust security practices in web application development and deployment.