CVE-2012-0914 in panels
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in display_renderers/panels_renderer_editor.class.php in the admin view in the Panels module 6.x-2.x before 6.x-3.10 and 7.x-3.x before 7.x-3.0 for Drupal allows remote authenticated users with certain privileges to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the Region title.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/29/2021
The CVE-2012-0914 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Drupal Panels module, specifically affecting versions 6.x-2.x prior to 6.x-3.10 and 7.x-3.x prior to 7.x-3.0. This vulnerability exists in the admin view component of the Panels module, which is widely used for creating custom page layouts and content organization within Drupal-based websites. The flaw resides in the display_renderers/panels_renderer_editor.class.php file, making it a server-side rendering issue that can be exploited by malicious actors with appropriate privileges. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects authenticated users who possess specific administrative permissions, creating a potential attack vector that could be leveraged by insiders or compromised accounts.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of Region title parameters within the Panels administrative interface. When an authenticated user with sufficient privileges submits a Region title containing malicious script code, the application fails to properly sanitize or escape the input before rendering it in the web interface. This lack of input validation creates a persistent XSS vulnerability that allows attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content. The flaw is categorized under CWE-79 as a failure to sanitize user input, specifically manifesting as a cross-site scripting vulnerability in the web application's rendering logic. The vulnerability's impact is amplified because it operates within the administrative context, potentially allowing attackers to execute malicious code in the browser of other administrators or users with access to the Panels module.
The operational implications of CVE-2012-0914 are significant for Drupal implementations that rely on the Panels module for content management and layout customization. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to perform session hijacking, steal administrator credentials, or manipulate the administrative interface to gain unauthorized access to sensitive system configurations. The vulnerability could also be exploited to deface websites, redirect users to malicious domains, or execute data exfiltration attacks. Given that the Panels module is commonly used for creating complex layouts and custom content displays, the potential for impact extends beyond simple XSS payloads to include more sophisticated attack vectors. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious web content and T1059.001 for command and control through script injection.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement the security patches released by the Drupal security team for both the 6.x and 7.x branches of the Panels module. The recommended mitigation strategy involves upgrading to versions 6.x-3.10 or 7.x-3.0, which contain the necessary input sanitization fixes. Additionally, administrators should review and restrict user permissions to minimize the attack surface, ensuring that only trusted individuals possess the privileges required to modify region titles within the Panels module. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious input patterns, and regular security audits should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other contributed modules. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation in administrative interfaces and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of all user-controllable parameters within web applications.