CVE-2012-3869 in REDAXO
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in include/classes/class.rex_list.inc.php in REDAXO 4.3.x and 4.4 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the subpage parameter to index.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/19/2019
The CVE-2012-3869 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the REDAXO content management system version 4.3.x and 4.4. This vulnerability resides within the include/classes/class.rex_list.inc.php file and specifically affects the index.php script's handling of the subpage parameter. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers, potentially compromising the integrity of web applications and user data. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can be leveraged for session hijacking, data theft, and further exploitation within the target environment.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the REDAXO framework's list rendering component. When the system processes the subpage parameter through the index.php endpoint, it fails to properly escape or filter user-supplied input before incorporating it into dynamically generated HTML content. This improper handling creates an XSS vector where attacker-controlled data flows directly into the browser without appropriate security measures. The vulnerability manifests as a classic reflected XSS attack pattern where malicious input is immediately reflected back to the user's browser without sufficient sanitization. According to CWE-79, this represents a classic cross-site scripting weakness where the application does not properly neutralize user-controllable input before it is used in a context that can affect the user agent.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-3869 is significant for organizations utilizing affected REDAXO versions, as it provides attackers with a straightforward method to compromise user sessions and execute arbitrary code. Attackers can craft malicious URLs containing script payloads that, when visited by authenticated users, will execute within their browser context. This capability can lead to session hijacking, where attackers steal user credentials and maintain persistent access to the system. Additionally, the vulnerability can be exploited to perform actions on behalf of users, potentially leading to data manipulation, unauthorized access to administrative functions, or even complete system compromise. The attack surface is particularly concerning for content management systems where users may have elevated privileges, as successful exploitation could result in complete administrative control over the web application.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of the affected REDAXO versions, as the vendor has released updates addressing this specific XSS flaw. Organizations should implement proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout their applications, ensuring that all user-controllable parameters are sanitized before being rendered in HTML contexts. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to prevent execution of unauthorized scripts even if the primary vulnerability is not fully patched. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious parameter patterns in web application logs, particularly around the index.php endpoint and subpage parameter usage. According to ATT&CK framework's T1059.001 technique, this vulnerability represents an exploitation method that could be used to establish persistent access through malicious script injection, making comprehensive network monitoring essential for early detection of exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads targeting this specific vulnerability pattern.