CVE-2012-3442: Django Django Allows Redirect Vulnerability

CRITICAL
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-78vx-ggch-wghm
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CVSS 6.1
CWE-79
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2012-3442 is a CRITICAL (CVSS 6.1) django allows redirect vulnerability (CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')) affecting Django libraries in the PyPI ecosystem. The issue involves django allows redirect via data url. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 1.3.2, 1.4.1.

CVE-2012-3442 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2012-3442
GHSA Identifier GHSA-78vx-ggch-wghm
Severity CRITICAL
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 6.1
CWE Classification CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
Affected Product Django
Package Ecosystem PyPI
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 6.1

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction Required (UI:R)
Scope Changed (S:C)
Confidentiality Low (C:L)
Integrity Low (I:L)
Availability None (A:N)

How to Fix CVE-2012-3442

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Django dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

Django fixed: 1.3.2 
pip install Django>=1.3.2
Django fixed: 1.4.1 
pip install Django>=1.4.1
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

pip show Django

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Python environment is affected by CVE-2012-3442, inspect your installed packages using pip:

pip show Django

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Django in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 1.3.2), your application is affected.

Note: The pip show Django command checks currently installed packages in your active Python environment.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting'), where the product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes user-controllable input before it is placed in output that is used as a web page that is served to other users. In Django, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

The (1) `django.http.HttpResponseRedirect` and (2) `django.http.HttpResponsePermanentRedirect` classes in Django before 1.3.2 and 1.4.x before 1.4.1 do not validate the scheme of a redirect target, which might allow remote attackers to conduct cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks via a `data:` URL.

CVE-2012-3442 Affected Django Versions

2 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
1.3.21.4.1
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
Django
pypi/Django
PyPI
< 1.3.2
1.3.2
Django
pypi/Django
PyPI
≥ 1.4
< 1.4.1
1.4.1

References

NVD — CVE-2012-3442 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-3442
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/django/django/commit/4dea4883e6c50d75f215a6b9bcbd95273f57c72d
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/django/django/commit/e34685034b60be1112160e76091e5aee60149fa1
Django Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/django/django
Django Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/django/PYSEC-2012-2.yaml
Django Release RELEASE
https://www.djangoproject.com/weblog/2012/jul/30/security-releases-issued
Django Security Information SECURITY
http://www.debian.org/security/2012/dsa-2529
Django Security Information SECURITY
http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2012:143
Django Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2012/07/31/1
Django Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2012/07/31/2
www.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-1560-1 WEB
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1560-1

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2012-3442?
CVE-2012-3442 is a security vulnerability in Django involving Django Allows Redirect via Data URL under CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting').
Which Django versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 1.3.2, 1.4.1 across affected packages: Django.
What version fixes CVE-2012-3442?
Upgrading to 1.3.2, 1.4.1 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is Django affected?
Yes, Django is affected in releases prior to 1.3.2, 1.4.1. Upgrade your dependency to 1.3.2, 1.4.1 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2012-3442?
CVE-2012-3442 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 6.1 (CRITICAL) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2012-3442?
CVE-2012-3442 is classified under CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') (The product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes user-controllable input before it is placed in output that is used as a web page that is served to other users.).
How can I check PyPI dependencies for CVE-2012-3442?
Run the dependency tree command: 'pip show Django'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-78vx-ggch-wghm",
  "modified" : "2024-11-18T16:26:24Z",
  "published" : "2022-05-17T05:12:01Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2012-3442" ],
  "summary" : "Django Allows Redirect via Data URL",
  "details" : "The (1) `django.http.HttpResponseRedirect` and (2) `django.http.HttpResponsePermanentRedirect` classes in Django before 1.3.2 and 1.4.x before 1.4.1 do not validate the scheme of a redirect target, which might allow remote attackers to conduct cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks via a `data:` URL.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N"
  }, {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "PyPI",
      "name" : "Django"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.3.2"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "PyPI",
      "name" : "Django"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "1.4"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.4.1"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-3442"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/django/django/commit/4dea4883e6c50d75f215a6b9bcbd95273f57c72d"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/django/django/commit/e34685034b60be1112160e76091e5aee60149fa1"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/django/django"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/django/PYSEC-2012-2.yaml"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.djangoproject.com/weblog/2012/jul/30/security-releases-issued"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.debian.org/security/2012/dsa-2529"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2012:143"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2012/07/31/1"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2012/07/31/2"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1560-1"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-79" ],
    "severity" : "CRITICAL",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2023-08-29T21:47:28Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2012-07-31T17:55:00Z"
  }
}