CVE-2011-0772 in PivotX
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in PivotX 2.2.0, and possibly other versions before 2.2.2, allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) color parameter to includes/blogroll.php or (2) src parameter to includes/timwrapper.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/06/2025
The vulnerability CVE-2011-0772 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting PivotX content management system versions 2.2.0 and earlier, with potential impacts extending to other pre-2.2.2 releases. This vulnerability manifests through two distinct attack vectors that exploit input validation weaknesses in the application's handling of user-supplied data. The first vulnerability occurs in the includes/blogroll.php file where the color parameter fails to properly sanitize user input, while the second vulnerability exists in includes/timwrapper.php where the src parameter suffers from similar insufficient validation measures. Both attack vectors enable remote threat actors to inject malicious scripts that execute within the context of authenticated user sessions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms within the PivotX application framework. When users interact with the blogroll functionality or timwrapper components, the system accepts parameters without proper validation or sanitization of potentially malicious content. This failure aligns with CWE-79, which classifies cross-site scripting vulnerabilities as weaknesses in input validation and output encoding. The vulnerability permits attackers to craft malicious payloads that can execute in the browser context of unsuspecting users, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of victims.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-0772 extends beyond simple script injection, as it creates a persistent threat vector that can be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks within the targeted environment. Remote attackers can exploit these vulnerabilities to execute arbitrary JavaScript code, potentially redirecting users to malicious sites, stealing session cookies, or performing unauthorized modifications to the affected website. The vulnerability's presence in core application components like blogroll and timwrapper functionality means that legitimate website administrators and users could be exposed to attacks without proper detection. This threat aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which describes social engineering attacks that can include malicious links or scripts designed to compromise user sessions.
The remediation approach for this vulnerability requires immediate application of the vendor-supplied patch version 2.2.2 or later, which addresses the input validation deficiencies in both affected file components. System administrators should implement comprehensive input validation measures that properly sanitize all user-supplied parameters before processing, particularly focusing on the color and src parameters in the identified files. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls with XSS detection capabilities and establish regular security auditing procedures to identify similar input validation weaknesses in other application components. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input sanitization and output encoding practices, with implications for broader web application security standards and the implementation of defense-in-depth strategies against client-side attacks.