CVE-2012-4470 in Listhandler
Summary
by MITRE
The Listhandler module 6.x-1.x before 6.x-1.1 for Drupal does not properly check permissions when importing emails, which allows remote comment authors to bypass access restrictions and possibly have other unspecified impact.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/24/2019
The CVE-2012-4470 vulnerability affects the Listhandler module version 6.x-1.x before 6.x-1.1 in the Drupal content management system, presenting a significant security flaw that undermines access control mechanisms. This module is designed to handle email list management functionality within Drupal websites, but the vulnerability stems from insufficient permission validation during email import processes. The flaw specifically manifests when remote comment authors attempt to exploit the system's lack of proper access controls, potentially allowing unauthorized individuals to bypass normal security restrictions that should prevent them from accessing restricted content or performing privileged actions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the Listhandler module's failure to validate user permissions before processing email import requests. When comment authors submit email addresses through the module's import functionality, the system does not adequately verify whether the submitting user possesses the necessary privileges to perform such operations. This weakness creates an attack vector where malicious users can manipulate the import process to gain unauthorized access to content or system resources that should normally be restricted to authorized administrators or privileged users. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple access bypass, as the description indicates potential for unspecified but likely serious consequences including data exposure, privilege escalation, or other security violations.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses substantial risk to Drupal websites utilizing the Listhandler module, particularly those that rely on comment-based email management features. The attack surface is relatively broad since comment authors are typically granted basic permissions that should not include access to administrative functions, yet this flaw allows them to circumvent these protections. Security practitioners should recognize that this vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication to the system's administrative interface. The impact assessment reveals that organizations with websites containing sensitive content or those relying on comment moderation for email list management face heightened risk, as attackers could potentially access restricted email lists or manipulate import processes to gain unauthorized system access.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control in software applications, and demonstrates how insufficient input validation and permission checking can create security breaches. Attackers could potentially leverage this flaw to enumerate email addresses from protected lists, access restricted content, or even escalate privileges within the system. Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching to version 6.x-1.1 or later, which addresses the permission validation issue. Organizations should also implement additional monitoring for unusual email import activities and consider restricting comment author privileges for email-related functions. Security hardening measures including input sanitization, access control reviews, and regular security audits should be implemented to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other modules or custom code implementations. The incident underscores the critical importance of proper permission validation in web applications, particularly when handling sensitive data imports and user-generated content processing.