CVE-2012-4469 in Hashcash
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Hashcash module 6.x-2.x before 6.x-2.6 and 7.x-2.x before 7.x-2.2 for Drupal, when "Log failed hashcash" is enabled, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via an invalid token, which is not properly handled when administrators use the Database logging module.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/24/2019
The CVE-2012-4469 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Hashcash module for Drupal content management systems. This vulnerability specifically affects versions 6.x-2.x prior to 6.x-2.6 and 7.x-2.x prior to 7.x-2.2, creating a significant security risk for Drupal installations that have the Hashcash module enabled with the "Log failed hashcash" feature activated. The flaw stems from improper handling of invalid tokens within the module's logging mechanism, which directly connects to the Database logging module used by administrators to track system events and security incidents.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers submit invalid hashcash tokens to the system, which then get logged without proper sanitization or encoding. When administrators subsequently view these logged entries through the Database logging module interface, the malicious script or HTML code embedded within the invalid token is executed within the context of their browser session. This creates a persistent XSS vector that can be leveraged to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of administrators, or redirect users to malicious sites. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of input validation and output encoding, where the system fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before it is rendered in administrative interfaces.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-4469 extends beyond simple script injection, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity of administrative sessions within Drupal environments. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to gain elevated privileges, modify content, or even completely compromise the affected Drupal installation. The vulnerability's persistence is particularly concerning because logged entries remain in the database and are continuously accessible to administrators, meaning the malicious code executes every time an administrator views the logs. This creates a stealthy attack vector that can remain undetected for extended periods while maintaining persistent access to the compromised system.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications. The issue also maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script injection and T1566 for social engineering through malicious web content. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to the patched versions of the Hashcash module, disabling the "Log failed hashcash" feature if not essential, and implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. Additionally, administrators should regularly audit their Drupal installations for outdated modules and ensure comprehensive security monitoring is in place to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper data sanitization in logging modules and highlights the need for security-conscious development practices when handling user-supplied data in administrative interfaces.