CVE-2012-2932 in TinyWebGallery
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in TinyWebGallery (TWG) before 1.8.8 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) selitems[] parameter in a copy, (2) chmod, or (3) arch action to admin/index.php or (4) searchitem parameter in a search action to admin/index.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/21/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-2932 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting TinyWebGallery versions prior to 1.8.8. This vulnerability resides within the administrative interface of the web gallery system and manifests through multiple attack vectors that collectively expose the application to remote code execution risks. The affected parameters include selitems[] in copy operations, chmod operations, arch actions, and searchitem parameters all within the admin/index.php endpoint, creating multiple pathways for malicious actors to exploit the system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the TWG administrative functions. When users submit requests containing malicious payloads through the specified parameters, the application fails to properly sanitize these inputs before processing or displaying them back to users. This lack of proper input filtering creates an environment where attacker-controlled scripts can be executed within the context of other users' browsers, effectively enabling session hijacking, credential theft, and unauthorized administrative actions. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications where untrusted data is improperly integrated into web pages.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-2932 extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it provides attackers with persistent access to administrative functions that could lead to complete system compromise. An attacker who successfully exploits any of the four identified vectors could potentially gain full administrative control over the gallery, modify or delete content, inject malicious scripts into user sessions, or use the compromised system as a launch point for further attacks within the network. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it targets the administrative interface, which typically possesses the highest privileges within the application, making it an attractive target for attackers seeking persistent access. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for scripting and T1566.001 for spearphishing with attachments, as the attack vectors could be delivered through malicious web content or social engineering.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-2932 primarily focus on immediate remediation through the application of the official security patch released by TinyWebGallery developers, which addresses all four identified attack vectors. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation measures that sanitize all user-supplied data before processing, particularly for parameters that are directly incorporated into web responses. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers and proper output encoding techniques can provide additional defense-in-depth measures against XSS exploitation attempts. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other web applications, while also implementing web application firewalls to monitor and filter malicious traffic patterns associated with known XSS attack signatures. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing robust input validation practices as fundamental security controls.