CVE-2011-1826 in Arcot WebFort Versatile Authentication Server
Summary
by MITRE
Open redirect vulnerability in the Administrative Console in CA Arcot WebFort Versatile Authentication Server (VAS) before 6.2.5 allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/24/2018
The CVE-2011-1826 vulnerability represents a critical open redirect flaw within the administrative console of CA Arcot WebFort Versatile Authentication Server version 6.2.4 and earlier. This vulnerability resides in the authentication server's administrative interface, which is designed to manage and configure the security infrastructure for enterprise environments. The flaw enables malicious actors to manipulate the redirect functionality that is typically used for legitimate navigation purposes within the application's administrative console. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects the administrative interface, which contains sensitive configuration controls and user management functions that are critical to the overall security posture of the authentication system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the redirect mechanisms of the administrative console. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious URLs that contain crafted redirect parameters, which are then processed without proper validation of the target destination. This allows unauthorized parties to redirect users from the legitimate administrative interface to attacker-controlled websites. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and does not require authentication to exploit, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by any remote attacker. The unspecified vectors suggest that multiple entry points within the administrative console's redirect functionality may be susceptible to manipulation, indicating a systemic validation issue rather than a single point of failure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple phishing attacks, as it represents a significant compromise to the integrity and trustworthiness of the administrative interface. When users are redirected to malicious sites through the administrative console, they may unknowingly provide credentials or sensitive information to attackers, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability undermines the security model of the authentication server by allowing attackers to exploit the legitimate redirect functionality for malicious purposes, creating a false sense of security for users interacting with the administrative interface. Organizations using affected versions of CA Arcot WebFort VAS may experience unauthorized access to administrative functions, data breaches, and potential lateral movement within their network infrastructure.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to CA Arcot WebFort VAS version 6.2.5 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Network segmentation and monitoring of redirect traffic within the administrative console should be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-601 Open Redirect vulnerability classification, which specifically addresses the risk of redirecting users to untrusted websites through applications. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the initial access and credential access phases of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, as it enables attackers to establish footholds and potentially escalate privileges through credential theft. Additionally, this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and secure coding practices, particularly in administrative interfaces where the potential for damage is significantly elevated due to the privileged nature of the functions available.