CVE-2012-1992 in CMS Made Simple
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in admin/edituser.php in CMS Made Simple 1.10.3 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the email parameter (aka the Email Address field in the Edit User template).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/26/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-1992 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the CMS Made Simple content management system. This vulnerability exists in versions 1.10.3 and earlier, specifically targeting the administrative interface's user editing functionality. The flaw resides in the admin/edituser.php script where user input from the email parameter is not properly sanitized or validated before being rendered back to the browser. This allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML code through the Email Address field in the Edit User template, creating a persistent security risk for administrators and users who interact with the compromised system.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious email address containing embedded script code that gets stored in the database and subsequently executed whenever the user information is displayed within the administrative interface. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting attacks, where improperly validated input is rendered without adequate escaping or encoding. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it operates within the administrative context of the CMS, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges, steal session cookies, or perform unauthorized administrative actions. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic input validation failure where the application trusts user-provided data without proper sanitization before outputting it to web pages.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-1992 extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with a foothold for more sophisticated attacks within the CMS environment. When an administrator views a compromised user record, the malicious script executes in their browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, data exfiltration, or further compromise of the CMS installation. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects the administrative interface, meaning that successful exploitation could enable attackers to modify user permissions, access sensitive configuration files, or even gain full system control depending on the CMS's security model and the administrator's privileges. This attack pattern aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically targeting web shell execution through script injection.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-1992 should prioritize immediate patching of affected CMS Made Simple installations to version 1.10.4 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for this vulnerability. Organizations should also implement proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application, ensuring that all user-provided data is sanitized before being stored or displayed. Security measures should include implementing Content Security Policy headers to prevent unauthorized script execution, regular security audits of administrative interfaces, and monitoring for suspicious user activity patterns. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads attempting to exploit similar vulnerabilities, while also maintaining up-to-date vulnerability scanning procedures to identify other potential XSS vulnerabilities within their CMS infrastructure and related web applications.