CVE-2015-1567 in GD Infinite Scroll
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the admin page in the GD Infinite Scroll module before 7.x-1.4 for Drupal allows remote authenticated users with the "edit gd infinite scroll settings" permission to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/10/2018
The CVE-2015-1567 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the GD Infinite Scroll module for Drupal platforms, specifically affecting versions prior to 7.x-1.4. This vulnerability resides in the administrative interface of the module, creating a significant security risk for Drupal websites that utilize this functionality. The flaw enables malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of authenticated admin sessions, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization within the module's administrative settings page. Attackers with the specific permission "edit gd infinite scroll settings" can exploit this weakness by injecting malicious scripts through unspecified input vectors within the module configuration interface. This permission-based attack vector is particularly concerning as it requires only administrative privileges, which are typically limited to trusted users but may be compromised through various attack vectors including credential theft, social engineering, or privilege escalation techniques.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with the ability to manipulate the administrative interface and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive system configurations. The XSS payload could be crafted to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or even execute additional attacks against the underlying Drupal installation. Given that this affects the admin page, successful exploitation could allow attackers to modify module settings, potentially creating persistent backdoors or disabling security features entirely. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-79 (Cross-site Scripting) indicates it falls within the well-established category of web application security flaws that have been extensively documented and studied in the cybersecurity community.
From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK techniques involving credential access and privilege escalation through web application exploitation. The attack chain typically begins with an authenticated user session, making this particularly dangerous in environments where administrative credentials are compromised or where attackers can manipulate legitimate users into executing malicious actions. The exploitation requires minimal technical expertise, making it a preferred target for both skilled attackers and automated exploit tools. Organizations implementing the GD Infinite Scroll module should consider this vulnerability as a critical priority for remediation, especially in environments where administrative access is not properly segmented or where multiple users possess administrative privileges.
The remediation strategy for this vulnerability involves immediate upgrade to version 7.x-1.4 or later of the GD Infinite Scroll module, which includes proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms. Additionally, organizations should implement proper access controls and privilege separation to minimize the impact of potential exploitation. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious administrative activities and unauthorized configuration changes. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of regular security updates and proper security testing of third-party modules, particularly those with administrative access capabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and content security policies to provide additional layers of protection against similar XSS vulnerabilities in their Drupal installations.