CVE-2008-4162 in NooMS
Summary
by MITRE
Open redirect vulnerability in admin/auth.php in NooMS 1.1 allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via a URL in the g_site_url parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/09/2018
The CVE-2008-4162 vulnerability represents a critical open redirect flaw discovered in the NooMS 1.1 content management system's administrative authentication component. This vulnerability specifically affects the admin/auth.php file where the application fails to properly validate or sanitize user input parameters before using them in redirect operations. The flaw manifests when the g_site_url parameter is manipulated by an attacker, allowing them to construct malicious redirect URLs that can be exploited to deceive users into visiting unauthorized third-party websites.
This security weakness falls under the category of CWE-601 open redirect vulnerabilities, which are classified as weaknesses in web applications that permit attackers to redirect users to malicious domains while maintaining the appearance of legitimate website navigation. The vulnerability exists due to inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the authentication flow, where user-supplied URLs are directly incorporated into redirect headers without proper verification against a trusted domain whitelist or secure validation checks. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it operates entirely through HTTP redirect mechanisms, making it difficult for users to distinguish between legitimate and malicious redirection attempts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple phishing attacks, as it enables sophisticated social engineering campaigns that can compromise user credentials and sensitive information. Attackers can craft deceptive URLs that appear to originate from trusted NooMS administrative interfaces, potentially leading to credential theft, session hijacking, or further exploitation of the compromised system. The vulnerability affects the entire administrative authentication flow, meaning that any user attempting to log into the NooMS system could be redirected to attacker-controlled domains. This creates a persistent security risk that can be exploited repeatedly until the vulnerability is patched, potentially allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to administrative functions and compromise the entire CMS installation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-4162 should focus on implementing strict input validation and domain whitelisting for redirect parameters. Organizations should immediately apply the vendor-provided patch or upgrade to a patched version of NooMS 1.1. Additionally, implementing proper URL validation logic that ensures redirect targets are either internal to the application or explicitly trusted domains can prevent exploitation. The solution aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 phishing, where attackers leverage open redirect vulnerabilities to direct users toward malicious sites. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls with custom rules to detect and block suspicious redirect patterns, while monitoring for unusual authentication-related redirect activity in system logs. Regular security assessments and input validation reviews should be conducted to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other application components.