CVE-2012-4489 in securelogin
Summary
by MITRE
Open redirect vulnerability in the securelogin_secure_redirect function in the Secure Login module 7.x-1.x before 7.x-1.3 for Drupal allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via a URL in the q parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/23/2019
The CVE-2012-4489 vulnerability represents a critical open redirect flaw within the Secure Login module for Drupal versions 7.x-1.x prior to 7.x-1.3. This vulnerability exists in the securelogin_secure_redirect function which is designed to handle secure login redirections but fails to properly validate input parameters. The flaw specifically manifests when the q parameter in a URL is processed without adequate sanitization, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate the redirection behavior of the application. The vulnerability falls under the category of CWE-601 Open Redirect, which is classified as a security weakness where an application redirects users to external domains without proper validation of the destination URL.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows remote attackers to craft malicious URLs that contain arbitrary destinations in the q parameter, enabling them to redirect users from legitimate Drupal sites to phishing websites or other malicious domains. When a user attempts to access a protected resource and gets redirected through the vulnerable secure login module, the application processes the q parameter without sufficient validation, causing the user to be redirected to the attacker-controlled destination. This creates a significant risk for user authentication and data protection, as users may unknowingly navigate to fraudulent sites that attempt to capture login credentials or personal information. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited through simple HTTP requests without requiring any special privileges or authentication.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-4489 extends beyond simple redirection attacks and creates substantial risk for organizations using affected Drupal installations. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to conduct sophisticated phishing campaigns where users are redirected from trusted Drupal sites to convincing replicas designed to harvest credentials. The vulnerability affects the integrity of the authentication process and can undermine user trust in the application, potentially leading to widespread credential theft and data breaches. Organizations may experience reputational damage when users fall victim to these attacks, and the vulnerability can be particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where sensitive data is accessed through Drupal platforms. The attack surface is broad as any user interaction with the secure login functionality could potentially be exploited, making this a high-impact vulnerability for any organization relying on Drupal for web applications.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-4489 primarily involve upgrading to the patched version of the Secure Login module, specifically version 7.x-1.3 or later, which includes proper input validation and sanitization of the q parameter. Organizations should also implement additional security measures such as monitoring for suspicious redirection patterns in web server logs and implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious redirect attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and output encoding practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten security principles. Security teams should also consider implementing content security policies that restrict redirect behaviors and ensure that all external redirects are explicitly validated against a whitelist of approved domains. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other modules and components of the Drupal platform. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1566 initial access technique, specifically targeting credential harvesting through social engineering methods that exploit the trust users place in legitimate web applications.