CVE-2012-2644 in MT4i
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the MT4i plugin 3.1 beta 4 and earlier for Movable Type allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2012-2642.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/18/2019
The CVE-2012-2644 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the MT4i plugin version 3.1 beta 4 and earlier implementations for Movable Type content management systems. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically manifesting as an injection flaw that enables malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected user sessions. The flaw is particularly concerning because it operates through unspecified vectors, indicating that the attack surface may be broader than initially apparent, and differs from the related CVE-2012-2642 vulnerability which suggests multiple attack pathways exist within the same plugin ecosystem.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the MT4i plugin's handling of user-supplied data. When users interact with the plugin's interface or when content is processed through the plugin's functionality, the system fails to properly sanitize or escape potentially malicious input before rendering it in web pages. This allows attackers to craft specially formatted payloads that, when executed, can manipulate the browser's behavior and potentially access sensitive user data or perform unauthorized actions on behalf of victims. The vulnerability's classification as a server-side XSS issue means that the malicious code executes within the context of the target server, potentially enabling more sophisticated attacks including session hijacking, credential theft, or data exfiltration.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-2644 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can lead to complete compromise of user sessions and potential privilege escalation within the Movable Type environment. Attackers leveraging this vulnerability can establish persistent access through session manipulation, redirect users to malicious sites, or harvest authentication tokens and cookies from unsuspecting users. The vulnerability's presence in beta versions indicates that the development team may have overlooked comprehensive security testing during the plugin's early development phases, leaving deployed instances exposed to potential exploitation. This type of vulnerability particularly affects content management systems where administrators and users regularly interact with plugin interfaces, as the attack vectors can be triggered through various user interactions including form submissions, comment sections, or plugin configuration pages.
Security mitigations for CVE-2012-2644 should prioritize immediate patching of the MT4i plugin to versions that address the identified input validation gaps. Organizations must implement comprehensive input sanitization measures that filter and encode all user-supplied content before processing or rendering it within web pages. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to prevent unauthorized script execution even if the primary vulnerability is not fully patched. Regular security audits and penetration testing of CMS plugins should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other third-party components. According to ATT&CK framework category T1059, this vulnerability represents a technique for executing malicious code through web application interfaces, making it a target for both automated scanning tools and manual exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also aligns with T1531 which covers the use of compromised credentials, as successful exploitation could lead to credential harvesting and further lateral movement within affected networks. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious input patterns that may indicate attempted exploitation of this and similar XSS vulnerabilities.