CVE-2013-7255 in Opsview
Summary
by MITRE
Open redirect vulnerability in Opsview before 4.4.2 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 • 03/04/2019
The CVE-2013-7255 vulnerability represents a critical open redirect flaw discovered in Opsview versions prior to 4.4.2, exposing organizations to sophisticated social engineering attacks. This vulnerability falls under the category of insecure redirection mechanisms that have been systematically catalogued by the Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) as CWE-601, specifically addressing URL redirection or forward attacks. The flaw enables remote attackers to manipulate the application's redirect functionality, potentially directing unsuspecting users to malicious websites designed to harvest credentials or install malware. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple phishing attempts, as it can serve as a stepping stone for more complex attack chains where attackers leverage user trust in legitimate applications to compromise broader network security postures.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within Opsview's redirect handling mechanisms. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious URLs that contain redirect parameters pointing to attacker-controlled domains, bypassing the application's built-in security controls. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the original description suggest that multiple entry points within the application's redirect functionality could be compromised, including but not limited to login redirections, dashboard navigation, and administrative access controls. This broad attack surface increases the likelihood of successful exploitation and makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where Opsview is used for critical infrastructure monitoring.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-7255 extends significantly beyond immediate credential theft, as it undermines the fundamental trust model that security applications rely upon. Organizations utilizing affected versions of Opsview face heightened risk of successful phishing campaigns that can compromise not only individual user accounts but also administrative access to critical monitoring systems. The vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector where attackers can maintain long-term access through repeated redirection attacks, potentially leading to data exfiltration, system compromise, or denial of service conditions. Security teams must consider this vulnerability as part of a broader attack surface that could enable lateral movement within networks where Opsview is deployed as part of monitoring infrastructure.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation through the application of the 4.4.2 patch or subsequent versions that address the redirect validation issues. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive network monitoring to detect suspicious redirect patterns and implementation of web application firewalls that can block known malicious redirect attempts. Additionally, security awareness training programs should emphasize the recognition of suspicious redirections, particularly when users are directed from trusted monitoring applications to unfamiliar domains. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques such as T1566 (Phishing) and T1071.004 (Application Layer Protocol: DNS) where the redirect functionality serves as an initial access vector. The vulnerability also demonstrates the importance of implementing proper input sanitization and validation controls as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten, specifically addressing the risk of insecure direct object references and insecure redirects that can compromise application integrity and user security.