CVE-2014-5267 in Drupal
Summary
by MITRE
modules/openid/xrds.inc in Drupal 6.x before 6.33 and 7.x before 7.31 allows remote attackers to have unspecified impact via a crafted DOCTYPE declaration in an XRDS document.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/02/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-5267 affects Drupal content management systems version 6.x prior to 6.33 and 7.x prior to 7.31, specifically within the openid module's xrds.inc file. This issue represents a significant security weakness that could potentially allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service conditions through manipulation of XRDS (XRDS Document) files used in OpenID authentication processes. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization of DOCTYPE declarations within XRDS documents that Drupal processes during OpenID authentication flows.
The technical flaw manifests in the improper handling of XML document type definitions within XRDS files that Drupal's OpenID module processes. When Drupal encounters a crafted XRDS document containing a malicious DOCTYPE declaration, the system fails to properly validate or sanitize this input before processing. This weakness creates an environment where attackers can inject malicious XML entities or external references that may trigger unintended behavior in the underlying XML parser. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-444 as an Insecure Direct Object Reference or more specifically related to XML External Entity processing issues, where the system does not properly restrict the processing of external entities or document type declarations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple authentication bypasses, as it could potentially enable attackers to perform server-side request forgery attacks, execute arbitrary code on the vulnerable Drupal server, or cause denial of service conditions through resource exhaustion. The unspecified impact mentioned in the CVE description suggests that the vulnerability could be leveraged for multiple attack vectors depending on the specific implementation details and the environment in which the vulnerable Drupal instance operates. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190 - Exploit Public-Facing Application, where attackers target web applications to gain unauthorized access or execute malicious code.
Organizations running vulnerable Drupal installations face significant risk of compromise, as the OpenID module is commonly used for authentication in web applications. The vulnerability can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication, making it particularly dangerous for publicly accessible Drupal sites. Attackers could craft malicious XRDS documents that, when processed by the vulnerable system, could lead to data exfiltration, server compromise, or disruption of services. The impact is particularly severe because OpenID authentication is often used in enterprise environments where sensitive data is accessed through these authentication mechanisms.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves upgrading to Drupal 6.33 or Drupal 7.31, which contain patches addressing the XML processing vulnerability in the openid module. Organizations should also implement network-level protections such as firewall rules that restrict access to OpenID endpoints and monitor for unusual XRDS document patterns. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and sanitization measures for all XML content processed by the application can provide defense-in-depth protection. Security teams should also consider disabling the OpenID module if it is not actively used, as this eliminates the attack surface associated with this vulnerability. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of the patched versions to ensure that legitimate OpenID functionality remains intact while addressing the security vulnerability.