CVE-2012-2077 in ShareThis
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the ShareThis module 7.x-2.x before 7.x-2.3 for Drupal allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of users with administer sharethis permissions via unknown vectors "outside of the Form API."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/07/2021
The CVE-2012-2077 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within the ShareThis module for Drupal version 7.x-2.x prior to 7.x-2.3. This vulnerability specifically targets the administrative functionality of the module, creating a significant security risk for Drupal installations that utilize this particular version. The flaw exists in the module's handling of authentication tokens and form validation processes, particularly in scenarios where users possess the "administer sharethis" permission level. The vulnerability's designation as operating "outside of the Form API" indicates that the module bypasses Drupal's standard security mechanisms that typically protect against CSRF attacks through proper token validation and session management.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability allows remote attackers to exploit the authentication system by crafting malicious requests that appear to originate from legitimate administrative users. When an authenticated user with appropriate permissions visits a malicious website or interacts with compromised content, the attacker can potentially execute unauthorized administrative actions without the user's knowledge or consent. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data manipulation to potentially allow full administrative control over the ShareThis module configuration, which could include modifying sharing settings, accessing sensitive configuration data, or even disabling the module entirely. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in software applications.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-2077 is particularly severe for organizations running Drupal-based websites that utilize the ShareThis module. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to administrative functions, potentially leading to complete compromise of the module's configuration and associated data. The attack vector leverages the trust relationship between the web application and authenticated users, making it particularly dangerous because it requires no special privileges beyond having access to a victim's browser session. Organizations may experience unauthorized modifications to sharing configurations, potential data exposure through compromised settings, and overall degradation of the website's security posture. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1548.002, which covers privilege escalation through abuse of application permissions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-2077 primarily involve immediate patching of the ShareThis module to version 7.x-2.3 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes to address the CSRF implementation flaw. Organizations should also implement additional security measures such as monitoring for unauthorized administrative changes, reviewing module permissions regularly, and ensuring that only essential users possess the "administer sharethis" permission. Network-level protections including web application firewalls and proper session management practices can provide additional defense in depth. The vulnerability highlights the importance of keeping third-party modules updated and following security best practices for Drupal installations, particularly regarding module security reviews and regular vulnerability assessments. Organizations should also consider implementing proper input validation and ensuring that all administrative interfaces properly validate CSRF tokens regardless of the underlying framework's built-in protections.