CVE-2015-7879 in Stickynote Module
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Stickynote module 7.x before 7.x-1.3 for Drupal allows remote authenticated users with permission to create or edit a stickynote to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via note text on the admin listing page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/14/2019
The CVE-2015-7879 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Stickynote module for Drupal version 7.x prior to 7.x-1.3. This vulnerability specifically targets the administrative listing page where stickynotes are displayed, creating a dangerous attack vector for malicious actors who possess legitimate user permissions. The flaw enables authenticated users to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code through the note text field, fundamentally compromising the security integrity of the Drupal platform's administrative interface.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization within the Stickynote module's rendering process. When administrators view the list of stickynotes on the admin page, the module fails to properly escape or filter user-supplied content from the note text field. This insufficient sanitization allows malicious payloads to persist in the database and execute within the context of other administrators' browsers when they access the affected administrative interface. The vulnerability specifically affects the admin listing page where multiple stickynotes are displayed, making it particularly dangerous as the malicious code executes in the context of privileged users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement. Attackers with minimal privileges can leverage this flaw to escalate their access within the Drupal environment, potentially gaining unauthorized administrative capabilities or stealing session cookies from privileged users. The vulnerability affects the entire administrative ecosystem since the malicious scripts execute in the context of administrators, who typically possess extensive permissions to modify content, manage users, and access sensitive system configurations. This creates a significant risk for organizations relying on Drupal's administrative interface for critical operations and content management.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as a classic example of CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental web application security weakness. The attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 - Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, where adversaries leverage legitimate administrative interfaces to execute malicious scripts. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to Stickynote module version 7.x-1.3 or later, implementing proper input validation and output encoding, and conducting regular security audits of third-party modules. Additionally, privilege separation and role-based access controls should be enforced to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities, as the flaw requires only basic user permissions to exploit, making it particularly concerning for environments with less restrictive access controls.