CVE-2010-4883 in Revolution
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in manager/index.php in MODx Revolution 2.0.2-pl allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the modhash parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/22/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-4883 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the MODx Revolution content management system version 2.0.2-pl. This security weakness exists in the manager/index.php file and specifically affects the modhash parameter handling mechanism. The vulnerability classifies under CWE-79 which defines improper neutralization of input during web page generation, making it a classic example of client-side injection vulnerability that can be exploited by malicious actors to execute unauthorized scripts in the context of affected users' browsers.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious payload containing script code and injects it through the modhash parameter in the URL. When the vulnerable MODx system processes this parameter without proper input sanitization or output encoding, the injected script becomes part of the web page response and executes in the browser of any user who accesses the affected page. This type of attack falls under the ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, specifically targeting web browsers through client-side code execution. The flaw demonstrates inadequate input validation and output encoding practices that are fundamental to preventing XSS attacks in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and redirection to malicious sites. An attacker could potentially steal administrator sessions, modify content, or even escalate privileges within the CMS environment. The vulnerability affects all users who access the manager interface, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where administrators might inadvertently click on malicious links or be exposed to the attack through social engineering. The attack vector requires no special privileges or authentication, making it highly accessible to remote attackers.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The immediate solution involves sanitizing all user-supplied input parameters including the modhash parameter through proper encoding techniques such as HTML entity encoding before rendering content in web pages. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution and prevent unauthorized code injection. Additionally, regular security updates and patches should be applied to ensure the CMS remains protected against known vulnerabilities. The remediation process should include thorough code review to identify similar input handling patterns that might be susceptible to the same class of vulnerability, aligning with the security principle of defense in depth and following industry best practices outlined in OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines for web application security.