CVE-2014-7978 in BlueMasters
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the BlueMasters theme 7.x-2.x before 7.x-2.1 for Drupal allows remote authenticated users with the "administer themes" permission to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via vectors related to theme settings.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/13/2019
The CVE-2014-7978 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the BlueMasters theme for Drupal version 7.x-2.x prior to 7.x-2.1. This vulnerability specifically targets authenticated users who possess the "administer themes" permission, creating a significant security risk that can be exploited by malicious actors with limited privileges. The flaw exists in the theme settings handling mechanism where input validation is insufficient to prevent malicious script injection. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.005 for script injection attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates a clear path to privilege escalation and potential data exfiltration through malicious script execution.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate sanitization of user inputs within the theme settings configuration interface. When administrators modify theme settings, the system fails to properly validate or escape potentially malicious content that could contain embedded javascript or html code. This allows authenticated users to inject arbitrary web scripts that will execute in the context of other users' browsers when they view the affected theme settings page. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it leverages legitimate administrative permissions to bypass normal security controls, making it difficult to detect through standard monitoring mechanisms. The flaw operates by accepting user-supplied data without proper encoding or filtering, creating an environment where malicious payloads can persist and execute automatically.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-7978 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can lead to complete session hijacking, data theft, and further compromise of the Drupal installation. An attacker with the "administer themes" permission can craft malicious payloads that persist across user sessions, potentially allowing for long-term surveillance and unauthorized access to sensitive information. The vulnerability can be exploited to redirect users to malicious sites, steal cookies and session tokens, or even install backdoors within the web application. This represents a significant threat to user privacy and data integrity, as the compromised users' browsers become unwitting participants in the attack. The risk is amplified because the attack requires only minimal privileges, making it accessible to users who might not normally have access to critical system functions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-7978 should focus on immediate patching of the BlueMasters theme to version 7.x-2.1 or later, which contains the necessary input validation fixes. Organizations should implement strict input sanitization measures at multiple levels including application code, database storage, and output rendering to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring. Security administrators should also consider implementing additional access controls to limit the scope of users who can modify theme settings, particularly in environments where privileged accounts are frequently compromised. Regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify potential input validation gaps, with particular attention to user-facing configuration interfaces. The vulnerability highlights the importance of principle of least privilege and demonstrates how even limited administrative permissions can be exploited to create significant security risks. Organizations should also implement content security policies and regular security monitoring to detect and respond to potential exploitation attempts.