CVE-2012-2310 in cctags
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the cctags module for Drupal 6.x-1.x before 6.x-1.10 and 7.x-1.x before 7.x-1.10 allows remote authenticated users with certain roles to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/19/2019
The CVE-2012-2310 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the cctags module for Drupal content management systems. This vulnerability specifically affects Drupal versions 6.x-1.x prior to 6.x-1.10 and 7.x-1.x prior to 7.x-1.10, exposing installations to potential exploitation by remote attackers who possess authenticated access with specific privileges. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the module's handling of user-provided data, creating an avenue for malicious script injection that can compromise user sessions and data integrity.
The technical flaw manifests when authenticated users with certain roles interact with the cctags module functionality, allowing them to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content into the application's response. This occurs due to insufficient sanitization of user inputs before they are rendered in web pages, creating a persistent XSS vector that can be exploited to execute malicious code in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it requires only authenticated access with specific permissions, making it particularly dangerous in environments where user privileges are not strictly managed. This aligns with CWE-79, which classifies cross-site scripting vulnerabilities as weaknesses in input validation and output encoding, and follows the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script execution through web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it can enable attackers to establish persistent access to user sessions, steal sensitive information, manipulate content, or redirect users to malicious sites. In Drupal installations where the cctags module is enabled, the vulnerability creates a potential attack surface that could allow privilege escalation or lateral movement within the application environment. Organizations running affected Drupal versions face significant risk of user data compromise and potential system infiltration, particularly when users with elevated privileges are present in the system. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical skill and can be automated, making it particularly dangerous for widespread deployment.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-2310 primarily focus on immediate patching of affected Drupal installations to version 6.x-1.10 or 7.x-1.10 respectively, which contain the necessary input validation and output encoding fixes. Organizations should also implement comprehensive input sanitization measures, including the use of Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, regular security audits of installed modules, and strict access control policies to minimize the number of users with elevated privileges. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious user activity can provide additional layers of defense against exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of keeping content management systems and their modules updated, as well as the necessity of proper security configuration management to prevent unauthorized access and privilege escalation scenarios.