CVE-2008-2951 in Trac
Summary
by MITRE
Open redirect vulnerability in the search script in Trac before 0.10.5 allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via a URL in the q parameter, possibly related to the quickjump function.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/01/2021
The CVE-2008-2951 vulnerability represents a critical open redirect flaw in the Trac project management system prior to version 0.10.5. This vulnerability specifically affects the search script's quickjump functionality, which is designed to provide users with rapid navigation to specific items within the Trac environment. The flaw enables remote attackers to manipulate the q parameter in search requests, creating a pathway for malicious redirection that can be exploited to deceive users into visiting unauthorized websites. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple redirection as it provides attackers with a mechanism to conduct sophisticated phishing campaigns by presenting users with seemingly legitimate Trac interface elements that ultimately redirect to malicious domains. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-601 Open Redirect weakness category, which is classified as a security misconfiguration that allows attackers to redirect users to untrusted websites. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1566 Initial Access technique, specifically the sub-technique T1566.002 Phishing, as it enables attackers to craft convincing phishing pages that leverage the trusted Trac domain to increase their success rate. The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the lack of proper input validation and sanitization in the search script's parameter handling, allowing malicious URLs to be injected into the q parameter without adequate verification. When users click on links generated through this vulnerability, they are unknowingly redirected to attacker-controlled domains that can host malicious content, steal credentials, or distribute malware. The flaw is particularly dangerous because it leverages the legitimate Trac interface to mask malicious activity, making it difficult for users to distinguish between authentic and fraudulent navigation paths. Attackers can craft URLs that appear to originate from the Trac system while actually directing users to phishing sites designed to capture login credentials or other sensitive information. The operational impact of this vulnerability extends to organizations using Trac for project management, issue tracking, and collaboration, as it undermines user trust in the system and creates potential entry points for more severe attacks. Organizations may experience compromised user credentials, data exfiltration, and reputational damage when attackers successfully exploit this vulnerability. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical skill and can be automated, making it particularly attractive to threat actors. The remediation for this vulnerability involves implementing proper input validation and sanitization techniques, specifically ensuring that URLs in the q parameter are validated against a whitelist of trusted domains or properly encoded to prevent malicious redirection. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security measures such as Content Security Policy headers and regular security audits of web applications to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of validating user inputs in web applications and highlights the need for robust security practices throughout the software development lifecycle. Security professionals should prioritize patching affected systems and implementing proper access controls to prevent unauthorized redirection that could compromise user security and system integrity. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of how seemingly minor implementation flaws in web applications can create significant security risks when exploited at scale.