CVE-2014-2080 in Revolution
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in manager/templates/default/header.tpl in ModX Evolution before 2.2.11 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the "a" parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2025
The CVE-2014-2080 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the ModX Evolution content management system, specifically affecting versions prior to 2.2.11. This vulnerability resides in the manager/templates/default/header.tpl template file and demonstrates a classic input validation failure that enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of authenticated user sessions. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it affects the administrative interface of the CMS, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges and compromise the entire system. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user input passed through the "a" parameter, which is commonly used for navigation and administrative actions within the manager interface.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a standard XSS attack pattern where malicious input is accepted through the vulnerable parameter and subsequently rendered without proper output encoding or validation. When an administrator or authenticated user visits a page that includes the malicious payload in the "a" parameter, the injected script executes in their browser context, potentially stealing session cookies, redirecting to malicious sites, or performing unauthorized administrative actions. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental weakness in web application security. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it targets the manager interface, which typically operates with elevated privileges and access to sensitive system functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can lead to complete system compromise when combined with other attack techniques. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can potentially gain administrative control over the entire ModX installation, access sensitive configuration files, modify content, or even establish persistent backdoors. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 - Phishing, as it can be leveraged to deliver malicious payloads through social engineering campaigns targeting administrators. The fact that this affects the default template file suggests that the vulnerability impacts all installations using the standard ModX Evolution distribution, making it particularly widespread and dangerous for organizations that have not updated their systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching to version 2.2.11 or later, which contains the necessary input sanitization fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation at multiple layers including application-level filtering, output encoding, and Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to provide defense-in-depth. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security audits and timely patch management for open source CMS platforms. Security teams should conduct thorough penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in other template files and ensure that all user-supplied input is properly validated and sanitized before processing. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious parameter values can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing proper security controls to protect against persistent threats targeting administrative interfaces.