CVE-2012-6145 in TYPO3
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Backend History module in TYPO3 4.5.x before 4.5.21, 4.6.x before 4.6.14, and 4.7.x before 4.7.6 allows remote authenticated backend users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/03/2022
The CVE-2012-6145 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within TYPO3's Backend History module, affecting multiple version streams including 4.5.x before 4.5.21, 4.6.x before 4.6.14, and 4.7.x before 4.7.6. This vulnerability specifically targets authenticated backend users who possess administrative privileges within the TYPO3 content management system, creating a significant security risk that could be exploited by malicious actors with access to legitimate administrative accounts. The flaw exists in the backend history functionality that tracks user activities and system changes, making it a particularly dangerous vector since it operates within the privileged administrative interface where users have extensive system control capabilities.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the backend history module's handling of user-provided data. While the exact injection vectors remain unspecified in the CVE description, such vulnerabilities typically occur when user input is not properly escaped or filtered before being rendered back to the browser interface. The affected TYPO3 versions demonstrate a failure to implement proper security controls around data persistence and rendering, allowing malicious scripts to be stored in the system's history logs and subsequently executed when other authenticated users view these records. This creates a persistent XSS scenario where the malicious payload can be triggered whenever the history module is accessed, potentially affecting any user who views the compromised records.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-6145 extends beyond simple script execution, as authenticated backend users with access to the history module can potentially escalate their privileges or perform unauthorized actions. Attackers could craft malicious payloads that redirect users to phishing sites, steal session cookies, or inject malicious code that persists across multiple user sessions. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates within the administrative backend where users have elevated privileges, meaning that successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise. Additionally, since the vulnerability affects the history tracking functionality, it could be used to hide malicious activities from audit logs, making detection and forensic analysis more difficult for security teams.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of their TYPO3 installations to version 4.5.21, 4.6.14, or 4.7.6 respectively, as these releases contain the necessary security fixes. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of the patched environment to ensure that the XSS vulnerability has been fully resolved without introducing regressions in functionality. Security teams should also implement monitoring for suspicious activity within backend history modules and consider implementing additional security controls such as web application firewalls to provide defense-in-depth protection. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, and could potentially be leveraged as part of broader attack chains categorized under ATT&CK technique T1566 for credential harvesting or T1071 for application layer protocols, making it a critical component of any comprehensive security posture assessment.
The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and output encoding in web applications, particularly within administrative interfaces where the potential for damage is significantly higher. Organizations should conduct regular security assessments of their content management systems and ensure that all third-party software components are kept up to date with the latest security patches. This incident highlights the necessity of implementing automated patch management processes and security monitoring to quickly identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by malicious actors in the broader threat landscape.