CVE-2012-2339 in Glossary
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Glossary module 6.x-1.x before 6.x-1.8 for Drupal allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors related to "taxonomy information."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/17/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2012-2339 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Glossary module for Drupal version 6.x-1.x, specifically affecting versions prior to 6.x-1.8. This security weakness resides within the module's handling of taxonomy information, creating an avenue for remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected websites. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data corruption as it enables attackers to manipulate user sessions, steal sensitive information, or redirect users to malicious websites through crafted input vectors.
The technical nature of this flaw falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without adequate validation or sanitization. The vulnerability's location within the taxonomy information processing pathway indicates that the Glossary module fails to properly filter or escape user-supplied data before rendering it in web pages. This allows attackers to inject malicious payloads through taxonomy terms or related metadata that are subsequently displayed to other users, creating a persistent threat vector that can affect multiple users within the same Drupal installation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability manifests in several ways that pose significant risks to Drupal website security and user privacy. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness to inject malicious JavaScript code that executes in the browsers of unsuspecting users, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or defacement of website content. The attack surface is particularly concerning because taxonomy information is commonly used throughout Drupal sites for organizing content, making the attack vector accessible through various user interactions and administrative functions. This vulnerability can be leveraged to create persistent threats that remain active until the affected module is updated or the vulnerability is patched.
Organizations running Drupal 6.x-1.x installations with the Glossary module must implement immediate mitigation strategies to protect their systems from exploitation. The primary and most effective remediation involves upgrading to version 6.x-1.8 or later of the Glossary module, which includes proper input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms. Additionally, administrators should implement proper content validation procedures for taxonomy terms and ensure that all user-generated content undergoes rigorous sanitization before being stored or displayed. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth measures, though they should not replace proper code-level fixes. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1190 highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date software components and implementing comprehensive security monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar issues in other modules and components of the Drupal ecosystem, ensuring that the overall security posture remains robust against evolving threats.