CVE-2014-0845 in Rational Requirements Composer
Summary
by MITRE
Open redirect vulnerability in IBM Rational Requirements Composer 3.x before 3.0.1.6 iFix2 and 4.x before 4.0.6, and Rational DOORS Next Generation 4.x before 4.0.6, allows remote authenticated users to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via a crafted URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/23/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0845 represents a critical open redirect flaw affecting IBM Rational Requirements Composer and Rational DOORS Next Generation software versions prior to specific iFix releases. This security weakness resides in the web application's handling of user-supplied URL parameters, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate navigation flows within the application. The vulnerability specifically impacts versions 3.x before 3.0.1.6 iFix2 and 4.x before 4.0.6, making numerous enterprise requirements management platforms susceptible to exploitation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the web application's redirect mechanisms. When authenticated users interact with the affected software, they encounter a scenario where crafted URLs can bypass normal navigation controls and redirect them to malicious external domains. This occurs because the application fails to properly validate or canonicalize URL parameters before executing redirect operations, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary URLs that appear legitimate within the application context. The flaw operates at the application layer and specifically affects the HTTP redirect functionality used for navigation purposes.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations utilizing these requirements management tools, as it enables sophisticated phishing attacks that can deceive users into visiting malicious websites. Attackers can craft deceptive URLs that appear to originate from legitimate internal systems, potentially harvesting credentials or sensitive information from unsuspecting users. The authenticated nature of the vulnerability means that attackers need only convince a legitimate user to click on a malicious link, making the attack vector particularly effective in enterprise environments where users trust internal applications. This opens the door for credential theft, data exfiltration, and potential lateral movement within the network.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided iFix updates for affected versions, implementing URL validation controls, and establishing network-level restrictions on external redirects. The vulnerability maps to CWE-601 Open Redirect vulnerability category and aligns with attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1566 credential access techniques. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls to monitor and block suspicious redirect patterns, while conducting user awareness training to recognize potential phishing attempts. Additionally, organizations should review their application configurations to ensure that redirect functionality does not permit external domain redirection without proper validation mechanisms in place.