CVE-2012-0318 in Movable Type Enterprise
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Movable Type before 4.38, 5.0x before 5.07, and 5.1x before 5.13 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via vectors involving templates, a different issue than CVE-2012-1262.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/30/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0318 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting the Movable Type content management system across multiple version ranges. This vulnerability specifically impacts versions prior to 4.38, 5.07, and 5.13, creating a significant security risk for web applications that rely on this platform for content management and publishing operations. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the template processing components of the software, allowing malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content into web pages viewed by other users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through template manipulation vectors that bypass the application's security controls designed to sanitize user inputs. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that are then processed and rendered within the affected templates, effectively executing unauthorized scripts in the context of victim browsers. This particular variant differs from CVE-2012-1262 in its specific attack vectors and exploitation methods, though both vulnerabilities fall under the broader category of cross-site scripting vulnerabilities. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be classified under CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in software applications.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables remote code execution capabilities that can lead to session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can manipulate the content of web pages displayed to users, potentially redirecting them to malicious sites or stealing session cookies. The attack surface extends beyond simple script injection to include more sophisticated exploitation techniques that could compromise entire web applications and their underlying user bases. Organizations using affected Movable Type versions face significant risk of unauthorized access and potential data breaches.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of all affected Movable Type installations to the latest available versions that contain the necessary security fixes. System administrators should implement comprehensive input validation measures and output encoding techniques to prevent unauthorized script execution. Additionally, network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional layers of protection. The vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1566 for phishing and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage, making it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios where attackers might leverage the vulnerability to establish persistent access to compromised systems. Organizations should also conduct thorough security assessments to identify any other potentially vulnerable applications within their infrastructure that might be using similar template processing mechanisms.