CVE-2013-1908 in Commons
Summary
by MITRE
The Commons Wikis module before 7.x-3.1 for Drupal, as used in the Commons module before 7.x-3.1, does not properly restrict access to groups, which allows remote attackers to post arbitrary content to groups via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/03/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-1908 affects the Commons Wikis module within the Drupal content management system, specifically versions prior to 7.x-3.1. This security flaw resides within the access control mechanisms that govern group membership and content posting permissions. The Commons module serves as a framework for building social networking sites within Drupal, enabling users to create and manage groups with shared content and collaboration features. The wikis component specifically allows group members to create, edit, and manage collaborative content within designated group spaces. The vulnerability represents a critical access control bypass that undermines the fundamental security model of group-based content management.
The technical flaw manifests in the improper validation of user permissions when posting content to groups through the wikis module. Attackers can exploit this weakness to post arbitrary content to groups without possessing the necessary authorization levels. The vulnerability exists due to insufficient input validation and access control checks that should normally verify whether a user has the appropriate permissions to contribute content to specific groups. This allows unauthorized users to bypass the normal group membership and posting restrictions that would typically require users to be authenticated group members with proper posting privileges. The unspecified vectors suggest that the attack could potentially occur through multiple pathways including direct API calls, form submissions, or indirect manipulation of session tokens and group identifiers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple content posting abuse, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity and confidentiality of group communications within Drupal-based social platforms. Remote attackers can inject malicious content, spam groups with irrelevant material, or potentially exploit the vulnerability to escalate privileges within the group management system. This could lead to information disclosure, data corruption, or the disruption of legitimate group activities. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations relying on Drupal Commons for collaborative workspaces, educational platforms, or community forums where group isolation and controlled content sharing are essential security requirements. The attack vector's remote nature means that threat actors can exploit this without requiring physical access or local network presence, making it particularly dangerous for widely accessible Drupal installations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-1908 should prioritize immediate patching of the Commons Wikis module to version 7.x-3.1 or later, which contains the necessary access control fixes. Organizations should also implement network-level controls such as firewall rules that restrict access to Drupal administrative interfaces and content management features to trusted networks only. Additional defensive measures include monitoring access logs for unusual posting patterns, implementing strong authentication mechanisms, and regularly auditing group membership and content permissions. Security teams should consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious content submission attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 Access Control Issues, specifically addressing improper access control in group-based systems, and could be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1078 Valid Accounts to leverage legitimate user credentials for unauthorized access to group resources. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security assessments of their Drupal installations to identify similar access control weaknesses in other modules and components that might be vulnerable to similar exploitation patterns.