CVE-2015-2088 in Term Queue
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in unspecified administration pages in the Term Queue module before 6.x-1.1 for Drupal allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/14/2018
The CVE-2015-2088 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Term Queue module for Drupal 6.x versions prior to 1.1. This vulnerability specifically targets administrative pages, creating a significant security risk for Drupal installations that utilize this module. The flaw allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of authenticated administrative sessions, potentially enabling full compromise of the affected system. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe because it affects administrative interfaces where privileged users perform critical system management tasks.
The technical nature of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the Term Queue module's administrative components. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that are then executed when administrative users view affected pages. The vulnerability's classification as a persistent XSS issue means that malicious scripts can be stored on the server and executed whenever authorized users access the compromised administrative interfaces. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and represents a classic example of improper neutralization of input during web page generation. The attack vector operates through the manipulation of user-supplied data that flows into the module's administrative pages without proper sanitization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform privilege escalation attacks against administrative accounts. When administrative users access pages containing malicious content, the injected scripts execute with the privileges of the logged-in user, potentially allowing attackers to modify system configurations, create new administrative accounts, or extract sensitive data from the Drupal installation. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007, which covers scripting through web shell execution, and represents a common pathway for attackers to establish persistent access within web application environments. The risk is compounded because administrative interfaces typically contain sensitive system information and configuration data that could be leveraged for further attacks within the network infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-2088 require immediate action to upgrade the Term Queue module to version 6.x-1.1 or later, which contains the necessary security patches to address the XSS vulnerability. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures including comprehensive input validation for all user-supplied data, proper output encoding of dynamic content within administrative interfaces, and regular security auditing of third-party modules. Network segmentation and monitoring of administrative access logs can help detect suspicious activities related to this vulnerability. The remediation process should include thorough testing of the updated module to ensure compatibility with existing Drupal installations and implementation of web application firewalls to provide additional protection layers. Security teams should also conduct vulnerability assessments to identify other potentially affected modules and ensure that all Drupal installations maintain current versions of core components and contributed modules to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited.