CVE-2010-4813 in Category Tokens
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Category Tokens module 6.x before 6.x-1.1 for Drupal allows remote authenticated users with administer taxonomy permissions to inject arbitrary web script or HTML by editing or creating vocabulary names, which are not properly handled in token help.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/16/2018
The CVE-2010-4813 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Category Tokens module for Drupal 6.x versions prior to 6.x-1.1. This vulnerability specifically targets authenticated users who possess the administer taxonomy permissions, creating a significant security risk for Drupal-based web applications that utilize this module. The flaw resides in how the system handles token help functionality when processing vocabulary names during editing or creation operations, allowing malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the Category Tokens module's token help system. When administrators edit or create vocabulary names, the module fails to properly sanitize or escape user-supplied input before rendering it in the token help interface. This improper handling creates an XSS vector where crafted input containing malicious script tags or HTML elements can be executed in the context of other users' browsers who view the affected token help pages. The vulnerability specifically affects the token help functionality rather than the core token processing, making it particularly insidious as it operates within administrative interfaces that trusted users frequently access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the ability to manipulate user sessions, steal sensitive information, or redirect users to malicious websites. An attacker with administer taxonomy permissions can craft vocabulary names containing malicious payloads that persist in the token help system, affecting all users who access these administrative interfaces. This vulnerability undermines the integrity of the Drupal administration panel and can potentially lead to privilege escalation or further compromise of the web application. The attack requires only authenticated access with specific permissions, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple administrators have access to the system.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-4813 should focus on immediate patching of the Category Tokens module to version 6.x-1.1 or later, which contains the necessary input sanitization and output encoding fixes. Organizations should also implement additional security measures such as regular security audits of contributed modules, monitoring for unauthorized administrative activities, and implementing proper input validation at multiple layers within the application. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and could be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script execution through web interfaces. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls and content security policies to provide additional defense-in-depth measures against similar XSS vulnerabilities in other parts of the Drupal ecosystem.