CVE-2012-4995 in LimeSurvey
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in admin/userrighthandling.php in LimeSurvey before 1.91+ Build 120224 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the full_name parameter in a moduser action to admin/admin.php. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/07/2018
The CVE-2012-4995 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in LimeSurvey version 1.91 and earlier, specifically within the admin/userrighthandling.php component. This vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly escape user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamic web content. The flaw exists in the administrative interface where the full_name parameter in the moduser action of admin/admin.php is processed without adequate security measures. This allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML code that gets executed in the context of other users' browsers who view the affected pages. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic improper input handling pattern that violates fundamental security principles for web application development.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a carefully crafted payload that leverages the moduser action parameter to inject malicious code into the full_name field. When administrators or other users access the affected administrative pages, the injected scripts execute in their browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized administrative actions. The vulnerability specifically targets the user right handling functionality, making it particularly dangerous as it could allow attackers to escalate privileges or gain unauthorized access to sensitive administrative features. This flaw aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting vulnerabilities as improper neutralization of input during web output, and represents a clear violation of secure coding practices that should prevent such injection attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited by attackers to compromise entire LimeSurvey installations. Administrators who are logged into the system become potential victims of this attack, as their browser sessions could be hijacked or their privileges could be manipulated through the injected malicious code. The vulnerability also poses risks to data integrity and confidentiality, as attackers could potentially extract sensitive information from user sessions or modify user rights and permissions. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that it targets the administrative interface, which typically contains the most sensitive functions and data within the application, making this a high-severity issue that could lead to complete system compromise.
Organizations using vulnerable versions of LimeSurvey should implement immediate mitigations including applying the official security patch released by the LimeSurvey development team, which addresses the input validation issues in the user right handling component. Additionally, implementing proper input sanitization measures, such as escaping special characters and implementing Content Security Policies, can provide additional defense-in-depth layers. Network segmentation and monitoring of administrative interfaces should be enhanced to detect potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability highlights the importance of regular security updates and proper input validation practices, aligning with ATT&CK techniques related to credential access and privilege escalation through web application vulnerabilities. The incident underscores the necessity of comprehensive security testing and the implementation of secure coding standards to prevent such injection flaws from reaching production environments.