CVE-2012-4890 in FlatnuX
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in FlatnuX CMS 2011 08.09.2 and earlier allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a (1) comment to the news, (2) title to the news, or (3) the folder names in a gallery.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/21/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-4890 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting FlatnuX CMS versions up to 2011 08.09.2. This vulnerability resides within the content management system's handling of user-submitted data, specifically targeting three distinct input vectors that collectively create a significant attack surface for malicious actors. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the CMS's news management and gallery functionality, allowing unauthorized users to inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through three primary attack vectors that exploit the CMS's failure to properly sanitize user inputs. The first vector involves comment fields within news articles, where attackers can submit malicious script code that gets stored and later executed when other users view the news item. The second vector targets news titles, where similar injection attacks can occur during the display of headlines. The third vector focuses on gallery folder names, where the vulnerability extends to file system metadata that gets rendered in web interfaces without proper sanitization. All three vectors demonstrate a common weakness in the application's data handling architecture, where user-supplied content flows directly into HTML output without appropriate security controls.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts in the browsers of unsuspecting users, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, defacement of content, or redirection to malicious sites. The attack requires no privileged access and can be executed remotely, making it particularly dangerous for websites that rely on user-generated content or community features. The cumulative effect of these three vectors creates multiple opportunities for exploitation, significantly increasing the probability of successful attacks against vulnerable installations. Organizations running affected versions of FlatnuX CMS face potential data breaches, reputational damage, and compliance violations, especially in environments where user trust and data integrity are paramount.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in web applications, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter. The attack surface extends beyond simple script execution to include potential privilege escalation scenarios when users with administrative capabilities are targeted. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of the CMS to a version that properly validates and sanitizes all user inputs, implementation of Content Security Policy headers, and regular security audits of web applications. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls, input validation layers, and comprehensive monitoring of user-generated content to detect and prevent similar vulnerabilities in other applications within their infrastructure. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of defense-in-depth strategies and proper input sanitization practices in modern web application security architectures.