CVE-2014-3652 in JBoss KeyCloak
Summary
by MITRE
JBoss KeyCloak: Open redirect vulnerability via failure to validate the redirect URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/12/2024
The CVE-2014-3652 vulnerability represents a critical open redirect flaw in JBoss KeyCloak, a widely adopted identity and access management solution. This vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of redirect URLs within the authentication flow, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system's trust in user-provided parameters. The flaw specifically affects the authorization code flow where KeyCloak accepts redirect_uri parameters without adequate sanitization or validation, allowing attackers to manipulate the redirection target during authentication processes.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs at the protocol level where KeyCloak's OAuth 2.0 implementation fails to properly validate the redirect_uri parameter against a predefined whitelist or strict validation rules. When a user attempts to authenticate through KeyCloak, the system accepts any redirect URI provided in the authorization request without verifying whether it belongs to the trusted domain or application. This weakness enables attackers to craft malicious URLs that redirect users to phishing sites or malicious domains while maintaining the appearance of legitimate KeyCloak authentication flows.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-3652 extends beyond simple redirection attacks, as it creates a significant vector for phishing campaigns and credential theft operations. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting specially crafted authentication requests that redirect users to attacker-controlled domains, potentially capturing credentials or session information during the authentication process. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-601 Open Redirect vulnerability category, which specifically addresses the risk of redirecting users to untrusted locations without proper validation. This weakness directly enables social engineering attacks where users are deceived into believing they are navigating to legitimate KeyCloak authentication pages while actually being redirected to malicious sites.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly under the Initial Access and Credential Access phases where attackers leverage open redirect vulnerabilities to facilitate phishing operations. The impact is exacerbated when KeyCloak is integrated with enterprise applications or services that rely on its authentication mechanisms, as successful exploitation can compromise entire authentication ecosystems. Organizations using KeyCloak versions prior to the patched release face significant risk of credential theft and unauthorized access to protected resources.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-3652 require immediate implementation of strict redirect URI validation mechanisms within KeyCloak configurations. Administrators should configure the system to maintain a whitelist of approved redirect URIs and implement comprehensive validation checks that verify the target domain against the registered application settings. The recommended approach includes enabling the use of registered redirect URIs only, disabling dynamic redirect URI handling, and implementing proper logging of redirect attempts for monitoring purposes. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough security reviews of all KeyCloak configurations, particularly in environments where the system handles sensitive authentication flows, and ensure that all applications integrating with KeyCloak properly validate redirect parameters at the application level to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability.