CVE-2014-3933 in AddressField Tokens
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the address components field formatter in the AddressField Tokens module 7.x-1.x before 7.x-1.4 for Drupal allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via an address field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/03/2018
The CVE-2014-3933 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the AddressField Tokens module for Drupal, specifically affecting versions 7.x-1.x prior to 7.x-1.4. This vulnerability resides in the address components field formatter component that processes and displays address data within the Drupal content management system. The flaw enables remote authenticated attackers to execute malicious scripts or inject HTML code through address field inputs, creating a significant security risk for Drupal installations that utilize this module. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the module's address field handling functionality, which fails to properly sanitize user-supplied address data before rendering it in web pages. This issue particularly affects Drupal 7 installations where the AddressField Tokens module is actively deployed and used to manage address information for users or content items.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the AddressField Tokens module processes address field data that contains malicious script payloads within the address components such as street addresses, city names, or other location details. When the module formats and displays this data through its field formatter, it fails to apply proper HTML escaping or sanitization techniques that would normally prevent script execution. Attackers can exploit this by creating or modifying address field entries that contain malicious javascript code, embedded html tags, or other harmful content that gets executed in the context of other users' browsers when they view pages containing the affected address data. The vulnerability is classified as a reflected XSS attack vector since the malicious content is processed and reflected back to users through the module's output rendering mechanism, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that display user-generated address information.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-3933 extends beyond simple data corruption or display issues, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user information, redirect users to malicious websites, or execute arbitrary commands on vulnerable systems. When exploited successfully, this vulnerability can compromise user sessions, allowing attackers to impersonate legitimate users and gain unauthorized access to restricted areas of the Drupal site. The risk is amplified because the module operates within the Drupal framework, which often contains sensitive administrative functions and user data. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which describes improper neutralization of input during web output, and specifically relates to the broader category of XSS vulnerabilities that have been consistently identified as one of the most prevalent web application security flaws. Organizations using Drupal with the AddressField Tokens module face potential exposure to various attack vectors including credential theft, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation attacks that could ultimately lead to complete system compromise.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-3933 should prioritize immediate patching of the AddressField Tokens module to version 7.x-1.4 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes to properly sanitize address field inputs. System administrators should implement comprehensive input validation measures at multiple layers including application-level sanitization, web application firewalls, and regular security audits of all modules and themes installed on Drupal platforms. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution capabilities in web browsers, and establish monitoring procedures to detect unusual address field modifications that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, the principle of least privilege should be enforced by limiting administrative access to address field configurations and ensuring that only trusted users have the ability to modify address components. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and following secure coding practices that properly validate and sanitize all user inputs before they are processed or displayed in web applications, as outlined in various security frameworks including the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines. The attack surface for this vulnerability can be further reduced by implementing proper access controls and regularly reviewing module permissions within Drupal installations to prevent unauthorized modifications that could lead to exploitation.