CVE-2012-5181 in concrete5
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in concrete5 Japanese 5.5.1 through 5.5.2.1 and concrete5 English 5.5.0 through 5.6.0.2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/24/2019
The CVE-2012-5181 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting concrete5 content management systems in their Japanese and English variants across specific version ranges. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws. The vulnerability exists in concrete5 versions 5.5.1 through 5.5.2.1 for Japanese installations and 5.5.0 through 5.6.0.2 for English installations, creating a substantial attack surface for malicious actors targeting web applications built on this platform. The unspecified vectors indicate that attackers could exploit this weakness through multiple entry points within the application's input handling mechanisms, making the vulnerability particularly concerning from a threat modeling perspective.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within concrete5's core components. Attackers can leverage this weakness to inject malicious scripts or HTML code into web pages viewed by other users, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized administrative actions. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script injection as it can be exploited to create persistent XSS attacks that remain active until the affected application is patched or the malicious content is manually removed. This type of vulnerability typically occurs when user-supplied data is not properly sanitized before being rendered in web pages, allowing attackers to inject malicious payloads that execute in the context of other users' browsers. The attack vector likely involves manipulation of form inputs, URL parameters, or other user-controllable data fields within the concrete5 application interface.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations using concrete5 for their web presence, particularly those handling sensitive information or user data. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access to the target system. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that appear legitimate to end users, making detection and prevention more challenging. The vulnerability's presence in multiple version ranges indicates that it was likely introduced in a specific code change or feature addition, potentially affecting organizations that have not kept their concrete5 installations up to date with security patches. The impact on business operations includes potential data breaches, reputational damage, and regulatory compliance issues, especially for organizations in heavily regulated industries where such vulnerabilities could lead to significant financial penalties.
Organizations affected by CVE-2012-5181 should immediately implement mitigations including applying the latest available patches from concrete5 developers, implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms, and conducting comprehensive security assessments of their web applications. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1059.007 technique for Scripting, specifically targeting web shells and script injection attacks. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls, content security policies, and regular security scanning to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should establish robust patch management processes to ensure timely application of security updates, as this vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining current software versions to protect against known exploits. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patches in staging environments before deployment to production systems to prevent service disruptions while maintaining security posture.