CVE-2013-7303 in SPIP
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in (1) squelettes-dist/formulaires/inscription.php and (2) prive/forms/editer_auteur.php in SPIP before 2.1.25 and 3.0.x before 3.0.13 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the author name field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/01/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-7303 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting the SPIP content management system. This issue impacts versions prior to 2.1.25 and 3.0.13, exposing web applications built on SPIP to potential exploitation by remote attackers. The vulnerability manifests in two specific files within the SPIP framework: squelettes-dist/formulaires/inscription.php and prive/forms/editer_auteur.php, which handle user registration and author editing functionalities respectively. These files fail to properly sanitize user input when processing author name fields, creating an avenue for malicious code injection that can compromise user sessions and data integrity.
The technical flaw stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the SPIP application's form handling mechanisms. When users submit author names through the affected forms, the system does not adequately filter or escape special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This lack of proper sanitization allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, where web applications fail to properly validate or escape user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamic content. The attack vector leverages the web application's trust in user input, enabling threat actors to manipulate the application's behavior through crafted payloads.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, potentially enabling sophisticated attack chains that could lead to session hijacking, credential theft, or further exploitation of the compromised system. Attackers can craft malicious author names containing JavaScript payloads that execute when other users view the affected pages, potentially stealing cookies, redirecting users to malicious sites, or performing actions on behalf of authenticated users. This vulnerability particularly affects web applications using SPIP for user management and content creation, where author information is frequently displayed and processed. The risk is amplified in environments where administrators or privileged users interact with the affected forms, as these individuals may be targeted for more sophisticated attacks such as privilege escalation or data exfiltration.
Organizations using affected SPIP versions should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to the patched versions 2.1.25 and 3.0.13, which contain proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms. Additional defensive measures should include implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads, and conducting thorough input validation across all user-supplied data fields. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which describes social engineering tactics, as attackers may use the XSS vulnerability to manipulate users into executing malicious code. Regular security assessments and code reviews should focus on input validation mechanisms within web applications, particularly in areas handling user-generated content. System administrators should also consider implementing proper logging and monitoring to detect unusual patterns of user input that may indicate attempted exploitation of similar vulnerabilities.