CVE-2011-4962 in SilverStripe
Summary
by MITRE
code/sitefeatures/PageCommentInterface.php in SilverStripe 2.4.x before 2.4.6 might allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted cookie in a user comment submission, which is not properly handled when it is deserialized.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/13/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-4962 represents a critical remote code execution flaw within SilverStripe content management system versions 2.4.x prior to 2.4.6. This issue specifically affects the code/sitefeatures/PageCommentInterface.php component which handles user comment submissions and processing. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of serialized data within cookie parameters during the comment submission process, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject and execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through object injection during deserialization of cookie data. When users submit comments containing crafted malicious serialized objects within cookies, the system fails to properly validate or sanitize these inputs before deserializing them. This deserialization process occurs in the PageCommentInterface.php file where the system attempts to reconstruct objects from the serialized cookie data without adequate security controls. The flaw aligns with CWE-502 which specifically addresses "Deserialization of Untrusted Data" and represents a classic example of insecure deserialization vulnerabilities that have become increasingly prevalent in web applications.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to organizations using affected SilverStripe versions as it allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on the target system without requiring authentication or prior access. Attackers can leverage this flaw to gain full control over the web server, potentially leading to data breaches, system compromise, or further lateral movement within network environments. The impact extends beyond immediate code execution as compromised systems can serve as launching points for additional attacks, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where SilverStripe may be used for critical applications or public-facing websites.
Security practitioners should prioritize immediate remediation of this vulnerability by upgrading to SilverStripe 2.4.6 or later versions which contain proper input validation and sanitization controls for serialized data. Additional mitigations include implementing proper cookie validation mechanisms, disabling unnecessary deserialization of user-provided data, and deploying web application firewalls with rules specifically targeting suspicious cookie patterns. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and secure coding practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell" and T1059.006 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: Python" which are commonly used in exploitation scenarios involving deserialization vulnerabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing runtime monitoring and anomaly detection to identify potential exploitation attempts and ensure proper patch management processes are in place to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in the future.