CVE-2008-2027 in Authentication Agent
Summary
by MITRE
Open redirect vulnerability in WebID/IISWebAgentIF.dll in RSA Authentication Agent 5.3.0.258 for Web for IIS, when accessed via certain browsers such as Mozilla Firefox, allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via an ftp URL in the url parameter to a Redirect action.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/18/2017
The CVE-2008-2027 vulnerability represents a critical open redirect flaw in RSA Authentication Agent 5.3.0.258 for Web for IIS, specifically within the WebID/IISWebAgentIF.dll component. This vulnerability exploits a fundamental weakness in the authentication agent's URL validation mechanism, where the system fails to properly sanitize and validate redirect parameters before processing them. The flaw manifests when the agent processes a url parameter in a Redirect action, allowing malicious actors to craft specially formatted requests that bypass normal security checks and redirect users to arbitrary destinations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the RSA Authentication Agent's web interface component. When processing authentication requests through Internet Information Services, the agent accepts user-supplied URLs without proper verification of their destination or protocol validity. This allows attackers to inject malicious ftp URLs or other protocols that can be interpreted by certain browsers, particularly Mozilla Firefox, as legitimate redirect targets. The vulnerability specifically affects the interaction between the authentication agent and web browsers, leveraging browser-specific behaviors to execute the redirect attack successfully.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and directly enables sophisticated phishing attacks that can compromise user authentication processes. Attackers can craft deceptive URLs that appear to originate from legitimate authentication servers while actually redirecting users to malicious sites designed to capture credentials or personal information. This creates a significant risk for organizations relying on RSA Authentication Agent for security, as users may be unknowingly redirected to fraudulent websites during authentication workflows. The vulnerability undermines the trust relationship between users and the authentication system, potentially leading to credential theft and unauthorized access to protected resources.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement multiple mitigation strategies to protect their authentication infrastructure. The primary remediation involves updating to the latest version of RSA Authentication Agent that includes proper URL validation and sanitization. Additionally, network-level controls such as web application firewalls should be configured to monitor and block suspicious redirect patterns. Security teams must also conduct thorough audits of authentication workflows and implement proper input validation at all levels of the application stack. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-601 Open Redirect vulnerability classification and maps to attack patterns in the ATT&CK framework under Initial Access and Credential Access tactics, specifically targeting the exploitation of trust relationships in authentication systems.