CVE-2012-1637 in Quick Tabs Module
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting vulnerability (XSS) in the Quick Tabs module 6.x-2.x before 6.x-2.1, 6.x-3.x before 6.x-3.1, and 7.x-3.x before 7.x-3.3 for Drupal.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/26/2024
The CVE-2012-1637 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the Quick Tabs module for Drupal content management systems. This vulnerability affects multiple version branches including 6.x-2.x prior to 6.x-2.1, 6.x-3.x prior to 6.x-3.1, and 7.x-3.x prior to 7.x-3.3, making it a widespread issue across different Drupal versions. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the Quick Tabs module, which is commonly used to create tabbed interfaces for organizing content on Drupal websites. This module allows administrators to create dynamic tabbed navigation systems that display different content sections based on user interaction, making it a popular choice for content presentation and user experience enhancement.
The technical flaw manifests when the module fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before rendering it in the browser context. Specifically, the vulnerability occurs in the handling of tab titles and content parameters where user-provided data is directly incorporated into HTML output without adequate escaping or encoding. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious input containing script tags or other malicious payloads within tab titles or content parameters. When authenticated users view pages containing these maliciously crafted tabs, the embedded scripts execute in the context of the victim's browser session, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or further exploitation of the compromised system. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79 which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is incorporated into web page content without proper validation or encoding.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-1637 extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it can enable attackers to establish persistent access to vulnerable Drupal installations. When exploited successfully, the XSS vulnerability allows threat actors to inject malicious scripts that can capture user credentials, modify content, redirect users to malicious sites, or even execute arbitrary commands on behalf of the compromised users. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in environments where administrators or privileged users frequently interact with the Quick Tabs module, as these users often possess elevated privileges that could be leveraged to escalate the attack further. The attack vector is typically initiated through a simple web request containing malicious input that gets processed by the vulnerable module, making it relatively easy to exploit compared to more complex vulnerabilities. Organizations running affected Drupal versions are at significant risk of unauthorized access and potential data breaches, especially when the vulnerable sites contain sensitive information or user authentication mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-1637 require immediate action to upgrade to patched versions of the Quick Tabs module, specifically versions 6.x-2.1, 6.x-3.1, and 7.x-3.3 or later. System administrators should also implement additional security measures including input validation at multiple layers, regular security audits of installed modules, and comprehensive monitoring of user activities on vulnerable sites. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which covers Scripting through the execution of malicious code in web browser contexts. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to provide additional defense-in-depth against XSS attacks, though this should not be relied upon as the sole mitigation. Regular patch management processes should be established to ensure timely updates of all Drupal modules and core components, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining current security patches. Security teams should also conduct thorough assessments of their Drupal installations to identify all instances of the vulnerable Quick Tabs module and verify that appropriate security measures have been implemented to prevent exploitation.