CVE-2010-4951 in Vx Xajax Shoutbox
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the xaJax Shoutbox (vx_xajax_shoutbox) extension before 1.0.1 for TYPO3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/17/2018
The CVE-2010-4951 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the xaJax Shoutbox extension for TYPO3 content management system. This vulnerability affects versions prior to 1.0.1 and exposes web applications to potential remote code execution through malicious script injection. The flaw exists in the extension's handling of user input within the vx_xajax_shoutbox component, creating an avenue for attackers to bypass standard security controls and execute unauthorized scripts in the context of victim browsers. The vulnerability's classification as XSS (CWE-79) indicates that the system fails to properly sanitize or validate user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages, allowing malicious payloads to be executed in the browser of unsuspecting users.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the TYPO3 extension. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious input that gets stored or processed by the shoutbox functionality and subsequently rendered without proper sanitization. The unspecified vectors suggest that the vulnerability could be triggered through multiple entry points within the extension's user interaction mechanisms, potentially including comment submission, user message posting, or configuration parameter manipulation. This lack of specific vector identification makes the vulnerability particularly concerning as it may be exploitable through various attack surfaces within the extension's functionality. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which describes social engineering attacks that leverage web-based exploits to compromise user systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, deface websites, steal sensitive information, or redirect users to malicious domains. When exploited, the XSS vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of authenticated users, potentially leading to complete system compromise if users have administrative privileges. The attack surface is particularly dangerous in environments where administrators or privileged users interact with the shoutbox functionality, as successful exploitation could provide attackers with elevated privileges and persistent access to the compromised TYPO3 installation. Organizations utilizing affected versions of the xaJax Shoutbox extension face significant risk of data breaches and service disruption, with potential for long-term persistence through cookie theft or credential harvesting.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-4951 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected TYPO3 extension to version 1.0.1 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding measures to prevent similar vulnerabilities in other components of their web applications. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning of TYPO3 installations are essential to identify and remediate similar issues before they can be exploited. Additionally, implementing content security policies and using web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth measures against XSS attacks. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date third-party extensions and following secure coding practices that prevent improper input handling and output rendering. Security teams should also establish incident response procedures specifically designed to handle XSS vulnerabilities, including user communication protocols and system recovery procedures. Organizations should consider implementing automated patch management systems to ensure timely deployment of security updates and maintain comprehensive logging of user interactions with vulnerable components to detect potential exploitation attempts.