CVE-2012-1659 in Noderecommendation
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Node Recommendation module 6.x-1.x before 6.x-1.1 for Drupal allows remote authenticated users with certain permissions to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/14/2021
The CVE-2012-1659 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Node Recommendation module for Drupal versions 6.x-1.x prior to 6.x-1.1. This vulnerability specifically targets the web application security framework's user interface components where content recommendations are generated and displayed. The flaw enables remote authenticated users to execute malicious scripts within the context of other users' browsers, potentially compromising the entire user session and data integrity. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script injection as it can facilitate more sophisticated attacks including session hijacking, credential theft, and unauthorized data manipulation.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the Node Recommendation module's rendering process. When users with appropriate permissions create or modify content that gets recommended to other users, the system fails to properly sanitize user-provided data before displaying it in the recommendation interface. This allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code or HTML elements that execute in the victim's browser context. The vulnerability's unspecified vectors suggest that multiple injection points exist within the module's codebase, potentially including form fields, URL parameters, or content management interfaces. The flaw aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is incorporated into web pages without proper validation or encoding.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for Drupal implementations that utilize the Node Recommendation module. Attackers with minimal privileges can leverage this flaw to compromise the security of entire user bases, particularly in environments where administrative or content management permissions are granted to multiple users. The vulnerability's remote nature means attackers do not require physical access to the system, making it particularly dangerous in multi-tenant hosting environments or shared hosting scenarios. Successful exploitation could result in unauthorized access to sensitive content, modification of recommended content, or redirection of users to malicious websites. The attack surface expands when considering that the vulnerability affects the module's recommendation functionality, which typically serves as a user-facing component where trust and security are paramount.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement the patch released in version 6.x-1.1 of the Node Recommendation module. The recommended mitigation strategy includes not only applying the security update but also conducting thorough security assessments of all Drupal installations using the affected module. Security teams should review user permission assignments to minimize the attack surface by limiting access to the recommendation module's administrative functions. Additionally, implementing content security policies and regular security monitoring can provide defense-in-depth measures against similar vulnerabilities. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date third-party modules and implementing proper input sanitization practices throughout the application lifecycle, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script injection and T1566 for credential access through web application attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and regular penetration testing to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities before they can be exploited in production environments.