CVE-2020-13666 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Drupal Core versions prior to 7.73, 8.8.10, 8.9.6, and 9.0.6 are affected by a cross-site scripting vulnerability in the Drupal AJAX API.

Understanding CVE-2020-13666

This CVE involves a security issue in Drupal Core that allows for cross-site scripting attacks.

What is CVE-2020-13666?

Cross-site scripting vulnerability in Drupal Core due to the Drupal AJAX API not disabling JSONP by default, enabling XSS attacks.

The Impact of CVE-2020-13666

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to execute malicious scripts on the victim's browser, potentially compromising sensitive data.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-13666

This section provides more technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from the lack of JSONP disabling in the Drupal AJAX API, facilitating XSS attacks.

Affected Systems and Versions

Drupal Core 7.x versions prior to 7.73
Drupal Core 8.8.x versions prior to 8.8.10
Drupal Core 8.9.x versions prior to 8.9.6
Drupal Core 9.0.x versions prior to 9.0.6

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can inject and execute malicious scripts through crafted requests exploiting the JSONP functionality.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect your systems from this vulnerability with the following measures:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Drupal Core to the patched versions (7.73, 8.8.10, 8.9.6, 9.0.6) to mitigate the risk.
Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to prevent unauthorized script execution.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and audit your Drupal installation for security vulnerabilities.
Educate users on safe browsing practices to minimize the risk of XSS attacks.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security updates and patches released by Drupal to address vulnerabilities promptly.