CVE-2014-8079 in MAYO
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the MAYO theme 7.x-1.x before 7.x-1.3 for Drupal allows remote authenticated users with the "administer themes" permission to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via vectors related to header background setting.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/13/2019
The CVE-2014-8079 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the MAYO theme for Drupal CMS version 7.x-1.x, specifically affecting versions prior to 7.x-1.3. This vulnerability resides in the theme's header background setting configuration, creating a pathway for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected user sessions. The flaw is particularly concerning because it requires only authenticated access with the specific "administer themes" permission, making it exploitable by users who already possess administrative privileges within the Drupal environment.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the MAYO theme's administrative interface. When administrators configure the header background settings through the theme's settings page, the system fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before rendering it in the web page context. This omission allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the browsers of other users who view pages using the compromised theme settings. The vulnerability specifically targets the theme configuration parameters related to header background elements, which are typically rendered as CSS properties or HTML attributes without proper escaping mechanisms.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for Drupal installations using the MAYO theme, particularly in environments where multiple administrators have access to theme configuration. The impact extends beyond simple script execution as it enables attackers to potentially steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of legitimate users, or redirect victims to malicious websites. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal privileges, making it particularly dangerous in scenarios where administrative access has been compromised through other means or where privilege escalation attacks are possible. The affected users include not only administrators but also regular site visitors who may encounter the malicious code when viewing pages that utilize the compromised theme settings.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to MAYO theme version 7.x-1.3 or later to address this vulnerability, as it represents a serious security risk that can be exploited by attackers with relatively low privileges. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of the updated theme to ensure compatibility with existing site configurations and functionality. Additionally, administrators should implement proper input validation measures and consider implementing additional security controls such as Content Security Policy headers to mitigate the impact of similar vulnerabilities. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which classifies cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a typical example of how theme configurations can introduce security weaknesses into CMS environments. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a privilege escalation and code injection technique, as attackers can leverage the administrative access to inject malicious code that affects other users within the same environment.