CVE-2025-31697 in Formatter Suite
Summary
by MITRE • 04/01/2025
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in Drupal Formatter Suite allows Cross-Site Scripting (XSS).This issue affects Formatter Suite: from 0.0.0 before 2.1.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/02/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-31697 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Drupal Formatter Suite module, classified under CWE-79 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation. This weakness enables malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts into web pages viewed by other users, creating a persistent security risk that can compromise user sessions and data integrity. The vulnerability specifically manifests in the module's handling of user input during web page generation processes, where insufficient sanitization allows attacker-controlled data to be rendered as executable code within the browser context.
Drupal Formatter Suite serves as a powerful module that enhances content formatting capabilities within Drupal environments, providing users with advanced text processing and display options. The XSS vulnerability exists in versions prior to 2.1.0, indicating that all releases from version 0.0.0 through 2.0.9 remain susceptible to this attack vector. This exposure occurs when the module fails to properly sanitize user-provided input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content, creating opportunities for attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of affected websites.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can be leveraged to perform session hijacking, defacement of web pages, data theft from authenticated users, and potentially establish persistent backdoors within the affected Drupal installations. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious input that, when processed by the Formatter Suite module, gets embedded into web pages served to other users. This attack pattern aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 Lateral Tool Transfer, where attackers use compromised web applications to maintain persistence and expand their attack surface.
The exploitation of this vulnerability typically follows a multi-stage approach where attackers first identify vulnerable Drupal installations running affected versions of the Formatter Suite module. They then craft malicious payloads containing script tags or other XSS vectors that are processed by the module's input handling mechanisms. Once executed in a victim's browser, these scripts can steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or modify page content to deceive users into revealing sensitive information. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe in environments where users have administrative privileges, as attackers could potentially escalate their access and compromise entire Drupal installations.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to Formatter Suite version 2.1.0 or later to remediate this vulnerability, as this release includes proper input sanitization measures that prevent the injection of malicious code during web page generation. Additionally, implementing proper content security policies, input validation at multiple layers, and regular security audits of Drupal modules can provide defense-in-depth measures against similar vulnerabilities. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of maintaining current security practices in open-source content management systems, as outlined in OWASP Top Ten Project guidelines for web application security. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify other potentially affected modules and ensure that all Drupal installations maintain up-to-date security patches to prevent exploitation of similar weaknesses in the broader Drupal ecosystem.