CVE-2012-1262 in Movable Type Enterprise
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in cgi-bin/mt/mt-wizard.cgi in Movable Type before 4.38, 5.0x before 5.07, and 5.1x before 5.13, when the product is incompletely installed, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the dbuser parameter, a different vulnerability than CVE-2012-0318.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/30/2021
The cross-site scripting vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-1262 affects Movable Type content management systems across multiple versions including 4.38, 5.07, and 5.13, specifically when the product is incompletely installed. This vulnerability resides in the cgi-bin/mt/mt-wizard.cgi script and represents a significant security risk that enables remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected applications. The flaw manifests through the dbuser parameter, which is processed without adequate input validation or sanitization measures. This vulnerability operates under the broader category of CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental weakness in web application security where user-supplied data is directly incorporated into web pages without proper escaping or encoding mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs during the installation process of Movable Type when the system is not properly configured or completed. Attackers can manipulate the dbuser parameter to inject malicious payloads that will be executed when the vulnerable application generates web pages. The incomplete installation state creates an environment where input validation is bypassed or weakened, making the system particularly susceptible to this type of injection attack. This vulnerability differs from CVE-2012-0318, indicating that while both relate to XSS issues, they affect different components or occur under different conditions within the Movable Type application. The attack vector allows for persistent cross-site scripting, meaning that malicious scripts can be stored on the server and executed whenever users access affected pages, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or further exploitation of the compromised system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to establish persistent access to affected systems and potentially escalate privileges within the application environment. When an attacker successfully injects malicious code through the dbuser parameter, they can manipulate user sessions, steal cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or even execute administrative commands if the application has elevated privileges. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in web hosting environments where multiple users share the same infrastructure, as it could allow an attacker to compromise the entire hosting environment. Additionally, the incomplete installation state suggests that organizations may be running vulnerable versions of the software without proper security configurations, creating multiple attack surfaces for threat actors to exploit. This type of vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 - Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, where adversaries leverage JavaScript injection to execute malicious code within victim browsers.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including comprehensive input validation, proper output encoding, and ensuring all installations are completed according to security best practices. The recommended approach involves upgrading to patched versions of Movable Type, specifically versions 4.38, 5.07, and 5.13, which contain the necessary fixes for this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing proper access controls, input sanitization, and web application firewalls can provide defense-in-depth measures against similar attacks. Security teams should also conduct thorough audits of their Movable Type installations to ensure complete and proper configuration, as incomplete installations create the conditions necessary for exploitation. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper software installation procedures and the need for organizations to maintain up-to-date security patches across all web applications to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities.