CVE-2012-5170 in Pebble
Summary
by MITRE
Open redirect vulnerability in Pebble before 2.6.4 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 • 02/23/2019
The CVE-2012-5170 vulnerability represents a critical open redirect flaw discovered in Pebble blogging platform versions prior to 2.6.4. This vulnerability falls under the category of CWE-601 Open Redirect, which is classified as a security weakness where an application redirects users to external websites without proper validation of the target URL. The vulnerability specifically affects the authentication and authorization mechanisms within the Pebble platform, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit user trust and redirect them to phishing or malicious websites.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the platform's redirect functionality. Attackers can manipulate unspecified vectors within the application's URL handling mechanisms to force users into navigating to arbitrary web addresses. This occurs when the application fails to properly validate or sanitize redirect parameters, allowing attackers to craft malicious URLs that appear legitimate but redirect users to attacker-controlled domains. The vulnerability essentially bypasses the platform's built-in security controls that should normally prevent such unauthorized redirections.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple redirection, creating significant risks for both end users and platform administrators. Users who encounter these malicious redirects may be tricked into entering sensitive credentials or personal information on phishing sites that mimic legitimate services. This opens the door to credential theft, data breaches, and further exploitation of compromised accounts. The vulnerability also undermines user trust in the platform and can lead to reputational damage for organizations using Pebble. Additionally, the open redirect can be leveraged as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks including cross-site scripting exploitation or social engineering campaigns.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement comprehensive mitigation strategies. The primary solution involves upgrading to Pebble version 2.6.4 or later, which includes proper input validation and sanitization of redirect parameters. Security teams should also implement additional layers of protection including web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious redirect patterns, and network monitoring solutions that can identify unusual traffic patterns associated with open redirect exploitation attempts. The mitigation approach should align with ATT&CK framework tactics T1566 (Phishing) and T1071.1004 (Application Layer Protocol: DNS) to address both the exploitation methods and the network-based indicators of compromise. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to ensure that similar vulnerabilities do not exist in other components of the application ecosystem, particularly in authentication flows and session management mechanisms that may be susceptible to similar redirect-based attacks.