CVE-2000-0382 in ClusterCATS
Summary
by MITRE
ColdFusion ClusterCATS appends stale query string arguments to a URL during HTML redirection, which may provide sensitive information to the redirected site.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/21/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2000-0382 resides within the ColdFusion ClusterCATS component, a clustering solution designed to manage distributed web applications. This flaw represents a classic case of information disclosure through improper URL handling during redirection processes. The vulnerability specifically affects the manner in which query string arguments are processed when redirecting users from one page to another, creating a security risk that can expose sensitive data to unauthorized parties.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the ClusterCATS module's failure to properly sanitize or remove query parameters during HTML redirection operations. When a user navigates through a ColdFusion application that utilizes ClusterCATS for clustering, the system may inadvertently append stale or outdated query string arguments to the target URL. These stale parameters can contain session identifiers, authentication tokens, or other sensitive information that was relevant to the original request but no longer applicable to the redirected destination. This behavior violates fundamental security principles regarding information flow and access control, as it allows data that should remain private to be transmitted to external domains without proper authorization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can enable various attack vectors including session hijacking, cross-site request forgery, and privilege escalation. An attacker who can predict or manipulate the redirection flow can potentially capture sensitive query parameters and use them to impersonate legitimate users or gain unauthorized access to protected resources. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where ColdFusion applications handle authentication, user management, or business-critical data, as the leaked information could provide attackers with sufficient context to launch more sophisticated attacks. This flaw demonstrates a failure in proper input validation and output encoding, which are fundamental requirements for secure web application development and align with CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and CWE-79 (Cross-site Scripting) categories.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper URL sanitization and parameter handling within the ColdFusion application framework. Organizations should ensure that all redirection mechanisms explicitly clear or validate query string parameters before appending them to target URLs, particularly those containing session identifiers or authentication tokens. The recommended approach involves implementing a whitelist-based system for allowed parameters or employing a comprehensive parameter filtering mechanism that removes potentially sensitive information from redirected URLs. Security practitioners should also consider implementing web application firewalls with content filtering capabilities to detect and block suspicious URL patterns. This vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 (Phishing) and T1071.004 (Application Layer Protocol: DNS) when exploited for information gathering purposes. Organizations should conduct thorough code reviews and security testing to identify similar issues in other components of their ColdFusion applications, particularly focusing on areas where user input is processed and redirected to external resources.