CVE-2014-7980 in Zen
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in template.php in Zen theme 7.x-3.x before 7.x-3.3 and 7.x-5.x before 7.x-5.5 for Drupal allow remote authenticated users with the "administer themes" permission to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the skip_link_text setting and unspecified other theme settings.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/13/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7980 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness in the Zen theme for Drupal content management systems. This flaw affects versions 7.x-3.x prior to 7.x-3.3 and 7.x-5.x prior to 7.x-5.5, creating a significant security risk for Drupal installations that utilize the Zen theme. The vulnerability specifically resides in the template.php file within the theme's core functionality, making it a fundamental component of the attack surface for malicious actors targeting Drupal environments.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the theme settings management system. Remote authenticated users who possess the "administer themes" permission can exploit this flaw by manipulating the skip_link_text setting and other unspecified theme configuration parameters. The vulnerability manifests when user-supplied input containing malicious script code is processed and rendered without proper sanitization, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content that executes in the context of other users' browsers. This type of vulnerability maps directly to CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in software applications.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-7980 extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it enables attackers to establish persistent malicious presence within affected Drupal installations. When exploited, this vulnerability allows threat actors to execute arbitrary code in users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious websites. The attack requires only authenticated access with theme administration privileges, which is often granted to site administrators, making the exploitation relatively straightforward. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as attackers can leverage the XSS to execute malicious scripts and establish persistence within the target environment.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through patching to version 7.x-3.3 or 7.x-5.5, respectively, depending on their current installation. Additional mitigations include implementing proper input validation measures, enforcing strict output encoding for all theme settings, and conducting regular security audits of theme configurations. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious input patterns, while monitoring for unauthorized theme modifications. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining current security patches and demonstrates how seemingly minor configuration management flaws can create substantial attack vectors in content management systems.