CVE-2012-4277 in smarty
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the smarty_function_html_options_optoutput function in distribution/libs/plugins/function.html_options.php in Smarty before 3.1.8 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/19/2019
The CVE-2012-4277 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Smarty template engine, specifically affecting versions prior to 3.1.8. This vulnerability resides in the smarty_function_html_options_optoutput function located within the distribution/libs/plugins/function.html_options.php file, making it a significant concern for web applications that utilize Smarty for template processing and user input handling. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts or HTML code within the context of a victim's browser, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output escaping mechanisms within the Smarty template processing system. When the smarty_function_html_options_optoutput function processes user-supplied data through the html_options template function, it fails to properly sanitize or escape special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This insufficient sanitization creates an attack vector where malicious actors can inject crafted payloads that execute in the victim's browser context, bypassing standard security measures that typically protect against such attacks. The vulnerability operates as a classic reflected XSS flaw, where the malicious input is immediately reflected back to the user without proper encoding or validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, deface web applications, steal sensitive user information, or redirect users to malicious sites. Given that Smarty is widely used across various web applications and content management systems, the potential attack surface is substantial. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious input parameters that are then processed by the vulnerable Smarty function, causing the injected code to execute when the template is rendered. This creates a persistent threat that can affect multiple applications simultaneously if they rely on the vulnerable Smarty version, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where numerous applications may be exposed to the same risk.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in software applications, and demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and output encoding practices. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a code injection technique that can be leveraged for privilege escalation and data exfiltration. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching to Smarty version 3.1.8 or later, which includes proper input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms. Additionally, implementing proper content security policies, input validation at multiple layers, and regular security assessments can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to mitigate the risk of exploitation. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date third-party libraries and frameworks, as outdated components often serve as primary attack vectors for sophisticated cyber threats targeting web applications.