CVE-2015-4397 in Node Template Module
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the Node Template module for Drupal allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of users with the "access node template" permission for requests that delete node templates via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/07/2019
The CVE-2015-4397 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within the Node Template module for Drupal platforms, exposing systems to unauthorized administrative actions. This vulnerability specifically targets users who possess the "access node template" permission, creating a significant security risk for content management systems that rely on this module for template management functionality. The flaw enables remote attackers to manipulate authenticated sessions and execute destructive operations without proper user consent or knowledge.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from inadequate validation mechanisms within the Node Template module's request processing logic. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious web pages or emails that contain specially formatted requests designed to delete node templates when unsuspecting users with the appropriate permissions interact with these malicious resources. The vulnerability operates through unspecified vectors that likely involve the absence of proper anti-forgery tokens or session validation checks during template deletion operations. This allows attackers to leverage the victim's existing authenticated session to perform unauthorized actions that should require explicit user confirmation.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-4397 extends beyond simple data loss, as it can lead to complete disruption of content management workflows and potential unauthorized access to sensitive system configurations. When attackers successfully exploit this vulnerability, they can remove critical node templates that may contain important content structures, workflow definitions, or system integration points. The consequences can include complete service disruption for content editors who lose access to their template libraries, potential data integrity issues, and the possibility of attackers creating new templates with malicious configurations. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and can escalate to more severe attacks when combined with other exploitation techniques.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability, including immediate patching of the Node Template module to the latest secure versions. Network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional protection by monitoring for suspicious deletion patterns and blocking unauthorized template modification requests. The implementation of proper anti-forgery token validation mechanisms should be enforced across all administrative functions, ensuring that each request contains unique, unpredictable tokens that correlate with the user's current session. Security teams should also establish monitoring procedures to detect unusual template deletion patterns and implement regular security audits of Drupal modules to identify similar vulnerabilities. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery weaknesses, and represents a clear violation of the ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential access through social engineering. Organizations should also consider implementing mandatory user confirmation dialogs for critical operations and establish robust incident response procedures to address potential exploitation attempts.