CVE-2012-4771 in Subrion CMS
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Subrion CMS before 2.2.3 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the id parameter to (1) admin/accounts/, (2) admin/manage/, or (3) admin/manage/blocks/edit/; or (4) group parameter to admin/configuration/. NOTE: The f[accounts][fullname] and f[accounts][username] vectors are covered in CVE-2012-5452.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/15/2024
The CVE-2012-4771 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting Subrion CMS versions prior to 2.2.3, demonstrating a classic input validation weakness that enables remote code execution through malicious web script injection. This vulnerability resides in the administrative interfaces of the content management system, specifically targeting four distinct endpoints including admin/accounts/, admin/manage/, admin/manage/blocks/edit/, and admin/configuration/ with the group parameter. The flaw stems from inadequate sanitization of user-supplied input parameters, particularly the id and group parameters, which are directly incorporated into the application's response without proper encoding or validation mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers craft malicious payloads containing script tags or HTML content and submit them through the vulnerable parameters. When the CMS processes these inputs and renders them within administrative pages, the embedded malicious code executes in the context of authenticated users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized administrative actions. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by its presence in administrative interfaces, where successful exploitation could grant attackers elevated privileges within the CMS environment. This weakness aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, and represents a common attack vector categorized under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter usage.
The operational consequences of CVE-2012-4771 extend beyond simple script injection, as it compromises the integrity of the administrative backend and potentially exposes sensitive system information. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access through session manipulation or to escalate privileges by injecting malicious scripts that interact with the CMS's administrative functions. The vulnerability affects the core administrative functionality of Subrion CMS, making it particularly dangerous for organizations relying on the platform for content management. Organizations running affected versions face increased risk of data breaches, unauthorized modifications to website content, and potential complete system compromise. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple administrative endpoints indicates a systemic input validation failure rather than isolated code issues.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-4771 require immediate implementation of the vendor-provided patch to version 2.2.3 or later, which addresses the root cause through proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms. Security teams should implement comprehensive input validation across all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in administrative interfaces, to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging. Regular security auditing of CMS components, including third-party plugins and themes, becomes essential since vulnerabilities often exist in extended codebases. Network segmentation and access control measures should limit administrative access to trusted networks, reducing the attack surface for such vulnerabilities. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and content security policies can provide additional layers of protection against XSS attacks, while regular security training for administrators helps prevent social engineering attacks that might exploit these vulnerabilities. The remediation process should include thorough testing to ensure that patch implementation does not introduce regressions in CMS functionality, and organizations should maintain updated vulnerability management processes to identify and address similar issues proactively.