CVE-2009-0347 in Ultraseek
Summary
by MITRE
Open redirect vulnerability in cs.html in the Autonomy (formerly Verity) Ultraseek search engine allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via the url parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/17/2025
The CVE-2009-0347 vulnerability represents a critical open redirect flaw discovered in the Autonomy Ultraseek search engine's cs.html component. This vulnerability specifically affects the handling of the url parameter within the web interface, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate user navigation and redirect them to arbitrary web addresses. The flaw exists in the application's input validation mechanisms, where user-supplied URL parameters are not properly sanitized or verified before being used to construct redirect responses. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of CWE-601 Open Redirect, which is classified as a security weakness that allows attackers to redirect users to malicious websites by exploiting improper validation of redirect URLs.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the lack of proper URL validation within the Ultraseek search engine's web interface. When a user accesses the cs.html page with a url parameter, the application processes this input without sufficient sanitization checks, allowing attackers to inject malicious URLs that will be executed as redirects. The vulnerability operates by accepting any URL provided in the parameter without verifying whether it belongs to the legitimate application domain or contains potentially harmful redirection targets. This flaw enables attackers to craft deceptive links that appear to originate from trusted sources within the search engine interface, making them particularly effective for phishing campaigns and social engineering attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2009-0347 extends beyond simple redirection capabilities, as it provides attackers with a vector for conducting sophisticated phishing operations. Users who encounter malicious links may be unknowingly redirected to fraudulent websites designed to harvest credentials, personal information, or financial data. The vulnerability's exploitation capability aligns with tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1566 initial access techniques, specifically targeting credential harvesting through deceptive redirects. The ease with which this vulnerability can be exploited makes it particularly dangerous in environments where users frequently interact with search engine interfaces and may not be trained to recognize suspicious redirect patterns.
Organizations utilizing the Autonomy Ultraseek search engine must implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability. The primary remediation involves implementing strict input validation for all URL parameters, ensuring that any redirect URLs are either validated against a predefined whitelist of trusted domains or properly encoded to prevent malicious redirection. Security patches should be applied to update the application's handling of user input, and administrators should consider implementing additional security controls such as Content Security Policy headers to prevent unauthorized redirects. The vulnerability's classification as CWE-601 emphasizes the importance of proper input validation and domain restriction mechanisms. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments to identify similar flaws in other web applications and implement comprehensive user education programs to help identify potentially malicious redirects, particularly in environments where search engine interfaces are frequently accessed by multiple users.