CVE-2012-2080 in node limitnumber
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the Node Limit Number module before 6.x-1.2 for Drupal allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of users with the administer node limitnumber permission for requests that delete limits.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/07/2021
The CVE-2012-2080 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within the Node Limit Number module for Drupal platforms prior to version 6.x-1.2. This vulnerability exposes systems to unauthorized administrative actions through malicious exploitation of the CSRF mechanism. The flaw specifically targets users possessing the "administer node limitnumber" permission, creating a significant security risk for Drupal installations that utilize this module. The vulnerability operates by allowing remote attackers to craft malicious requests that, when executed by authenticated users, perform unauthorized deletions of node limit configurations without proper user consent or awareness.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper request validation mechanisms within the Node Limit Number module. When users with administrative privileges access certain endpoints designed for limit deletion, the module fails to verify the authenticity of the request origin or validate the user's intentional consent. This lack of anti-CSRF token implementation creates a pathway for attackers to construct malicious web pages or email attachments that automatically submit deletion requests to the vulnerable Drupal site. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it targets administrative functionality rather than standard user operations, potentially allowing attackers to disrupt content management workflows and compromise site integrity.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data deletion, as it undermines the fundamental security model of Drupal's permission system. Attackers can leverage this flaw to remove critical node limit configurations, potentially leading to resource exhaustion or unauthorized content modifications. The vulnerability affects the availability and integrity of the content management system, as deleted limits may result in uncontrolled node creation or modification. Organizations using Drupal with the affected Node Limit Number module face risks of unauthorized administrative actions that could compromise entire site operations and potentially lead to further exploitation if other vulnerabilities exist within the system.
Security mitigations for CVE-2012-2080 primarily involve upgrading to the patched version 6.x-1.2 or later of the Node Limit Number module. This upgrade addresses the core CSRF implementation flaw by introducing proper token validation mechanisms. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures such as network-level access controls to restrict administrative endpoints, monitor for suspicious administrative activities, and conduct regular security audits of contributed modules. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in software applications, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege in the context of web application security. From an ATT&CK perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence through administrative interface manipulation, making it particularly concerning for organizations that rely heavily on Drupal's content management capabilities for critical operations.