CVE-2013-4499 in Bean
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Bean module 7.x-1.x before 7.x-1.5 for Drupal allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the bean title.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/18/2019
The CVE-2013-4499 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Bean module for Drupal version 7.x-1.x, specifically affecting releases prior to 7.x-1.5. This vulnerability resides in the module's handling of user-provided input within the bean title field, creating an exploitable entry point for remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected websites. The Bean module serves as a content management component that allows administrators to create reusable content blocks, making it a common feature across numerous Drupal installations and thus amplifying the potential impact of this vulnerability.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input sanitization and output escaping within the bean title parameter processing. When users submit content through the bean module interface, the application fails to properly validate or escape special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This allows attackers to craft malicious payloads that, when rendered on the victim's browser, execute unintended scripts within the context of the legitimate website. The vulnerability specifically targets the title field, which is often displayed prominently within administrative interfaces and public-facing pages, providing attackers with multiple vectors for exploitation.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-4499 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains that compromise user sessions, steal sensitive information, or redirect victims to malicious sites. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute persistent XSS attacks that may persist across multiple user sessions, potentially allowing for credential theft, session hijacking, or data exfiltration. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require local system access or authentication, making it particularly dangerous for widely accessible web applications. Given that the Bean module was commonly used in Drupal installations, the potential attack surface was extensive, affecting numerous websites that had not yet applied the security patch.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in software applications, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for the initial compromise phase through malicious web content delivery. Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching to version 7.x-1.5 or later, which includes proper input validation and output escaping mechanisms. Additionally, implementing proper content security policies, input sanitization at multiple layers, and regular security assessments of third-party modules can help prevent similar vulnerabilities. The incident highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date Drupal core and contributed modules, as well as implementing comprehensive security monitoring to detect and respond to potential exploitation attempts.