CVE-2012-4468 in Privatemsg
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Privatemsg module 7.x-1.x before 7.x-1.3 for Drupal allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a user name in a private message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/17/2019
The CVE-2012-4468 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Privatemsg module for Drupal version 7.x-1.x prior to 7.x-1.3. This vulnerability specifically targets the module's handling of user input during private messaging operations, creating a persistent security risk that can be exploited by remote attackers without requiring authentication or privileged access. The flaw exists in the module's sanitization and output rendering mechanisms, where user-provided names are not properly escaped or validated before being displayed in web pages. This oversight allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary HTML and JavaScript code that executes in the context of other users' browsers when they view private messages containing the crafted input.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which classifies cross-site scripting as a code injection weakness where untrusted data is incorporated into web pages without proper validation or escaping. The vulnerability operates through the standard XSS attack vector where attacker-controlled data flows from the input layer through the application's processing logic to the output layer, bypassing normal security controls. In the context of Drupal's Privatemsg module, the flaw occurs when a user's name is displayed in the message interface, providing an execution environment where malicious scripts can be injected and subsequently executed by other users who view the compromised messages. This represents a classic reflected XSS scenario where the malicious input is stored and then reflected back to users in the message interface.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-4468 extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it can enable attackers to establish persistent footholds within affected systems. When exploited, the vulnerability allows threat actors to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in victims' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious websites. The attack surface is particularly concerning because private messaging systems are often used to transmit sensitive information, making this vulnerability especially dangerous in environments where users might exchange confidential data. The vulnerability also supports advanced attack techniques such as cookie theft, which can be leveraged to maintain persistent access to user accounts and compromise the integrity of the entire messaging system.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement the patch released by the Drupal security team as part of version 7.x-1.3 of the Privatemsg module. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive input validation and output encoding for all user-provided data within the messaging interface, following the principle of least privilege in data handling. Security teams should also conduct thorough audits of their Drupal installations to identify any other modules that might be vulnerable to similar input sanitization issues, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper data validation throughout the application stack. Additionally, implementing content security policies and regular security monitoring can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts, while user education regarding suspicious message content can serve as an additional defensive layer against social engineering attacks that might leverage this vulnerability.