CVE-2011-5188 in Support Timer
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Support Timer module 6.x-1.x before 6.x-1.4 for Drupal allows remote authenticated users with the "track time spent" permission to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/04/2018
The CVE-2011-5188 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Support Timer module for Drupal version 6.x-1.x prior to 6.x-1.4. This vulnerability specifically targets authenticated users who possess the "track time spent" permission, creating a significant security risk that can be exploited by malicious actors to compromise user sessions and execute unauthorized code within victim browsers. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the module's codebase, allowing attackers to inject malicious scripts that persist in the application's user interface.
The technical flaw manifests through unspecified vectors that permit attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML content into the application's response. This occurs when the Support Timer module fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before rendering it in the web interface, creating an environment where malicious payloads can be executed in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be classified under CWE-79 as "Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')". Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can leverage the "track time spent" permission to submit malicious payloads through legitimate application functionality, making detection more challenging as the attacks appear to originate from authenticated users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive information, manipulate application data, and potentially escalate privileges within the Drupal environment. Remote authenticated users with the specific permission can craft malicious inputs that, when processed by the Support Timer module, execute in the browsers of other users who view the affected pages. This creates a persistent threat vector where compromised users unknowingly execute malicious code, potentially leading to complete application compromise and data breaches. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for "Phishing with Social Engineering" and T1059.001 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter", as attackers can use the XSS to establish persistent access and execute malicious commands.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-5188 should prioritize immediate patching of the Support Timer module to version 6.x-1.4 or later, which contains the necessary input validation and sanitization fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation mechanisms that filter and sanitize all user-supplied data before processing, particularly for fields that may be rendered in web pages. Network segmentation and role-based access control should be enforced to limit the scope of potential exploitation, ensuring that only authorized personnel possess the "track time spent" permission. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks by restricting script execution and preventing unauthorized code injection. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other modules and components of the Drupal application, while also maintaining updated security monitoring tools to detect anomalous user behavior that may indicate exploitation attempts.