CVE-2014-9738 in Tournament Module
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in the Tournament module 7.x-1.x before 7.x-1.2 for Drupal allow remote authenticated users with certain permissions to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via an (1) account username, a (2) node title, or a (3) team entity title.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/04/2019
The CVE-2014-9738 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Drupal Tournament module version 7.x-1.x prior to 7.x-1.2. This vulnerability exposes Drupal installations to persistent XSS attacks that can be exploited by authenticated users who possess specific permissions within the system. The flaw specifically affects the module's handling of user-generated content inputs, creating pathways for malicious script injection that can compromise user sessions and potentially escalate privileges within the application environment. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data theft, as it can enable attackers to manipulate the application's behavior and user interactions in potentially devastating ways.
The technical exploitation occurs through three distinct attack vectors that leverage the module's insufficient input sanitization mechanisms. Attackers can inject malicious scripts through account username fields, node title fields, and team entity title fields, all of which are processed without adequate validation or encoding. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79, which defines cross-site scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is incorporated into web pages without proper validation or encoding, making it susceptible to execution within user browsers. The attack requires only authenticated access with specific permissions, typically including roles that can create or modify content within the tournament module, reducing the barrier to exploitation while still maintaining significant security implications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, deface websites, steal sensitive user information, or redirect users to malicious sites. When authenticated users with tournament module permissions create or modify content, their inputs are stored in the database and subsequently rendered on web pages without proper sanitization. This creates persistent XSS conditions where the malicious code executes whenever legitimate users view the affected content, potentially affecting thousands of users depending on the size of the Drupal installation. The vulnerability's persistence means that even after the initial attack, the malicious scripts continue to execute until the affected content is removed or the module is updated, creating ongoing security risks that can be difficult to detect and remediate.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of the Tournament module to version 7.x-1.2 or later, as this update addresses the input validation issues that enable the XSS attacks. System administrators should also implement additional defensive measures including input validation at multiple layers, regular security audits of contributed modules, and monitoring for suspicious user activity patterns. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper content sanitization and input validation, particularly for modules that handle user-generated content, and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of all Drupal modules before deployment. Security teams should consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block common XSS attack patterns, while also establishing incident response procedures to quickly address any exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the critical nature of keeping Drupal core and contributed modules updated, as unpatched vulnerabilities can provide attackers with persistent access to sensitive systems and data.