CVE-2014-4696 in Suricata
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple open redirect vulnerabilities in the Suricata package before 1.0.6 for pfSense through 2.1.4 allow remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via (1) the referer parameter to suricata_rules_flowbits.php or (2) the returl parameter to suricata_select_alias.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/08/2022
The CVE-2014-4696 vulnerability represents a critical open redirect flaw affecting the Suricata intrusion detection system package within pfSense firewall environments. This vulnerability exists in versions prior to 1.0.6 and impacts pfSense versions through 2.1.4, creating a significant security risk for network administrators who rely on these systems for traffic monitoring and threat detection. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within two specific Suricata management scripts that handle user redirects without proper sanitization of redirect parameters.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through two distinct attack vectors that exploit the same underlying flaw in parameter handling. The first vector targets the referer parameter within the suricata_rules_flowbits.php script, while the second exploits the returl parameter in suricata_select_alias.php. Both scripts fail to validate or sanitize the redirect destinations, allowing attackers to inject malicious URLs that will be used to redirect users upon authentication or navigation. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-601 Open Redirect vulnerability classification, which specifically addresses situations where applications redirect users to external sites without proper validation of the target URL.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-4696 extends beyond simple user inconvenience to create substantial phishing attack opportunities for threat actors. When users are redirected to malicious sites through these open redirect vulnerabilities, attackers can craft convincing phishing pages that appear legitimate within the context of the pfSense interface. This creates a particularly dangerous scenario because users are already within a trusted administrative environment, making them more likely to trust the redirected content. The vulnerability directly maps to the ATT&CK technique T1566.001 Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment, where the initial redirect serves as an entry point for more sophisticated social engineering campaigns.
Network security administrators face significant challenges when addressing this vulnerability since it affects the management interfaces of pfSense systems that are critical for network monitoring and protection. The open redirect nature means that even if the primary Suricata functionality remains secure, the administrative interfaces become attack vectors that can compromise the entire security posture. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where pfSense systems are used to monitor sensitive network traffic, as attackers could potentially redirect administrators to malicious sites that appear to be legitimate management interfaces. Organizations should prioritize patching this vulnerability as part of their routine security maintenance protocols, especially since the affected versions are no longer supported and lack security updates.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-4696 should include immediate deployment of pfSense updates to version 2.1.5 or later, which contain the necessary fixes for the Suricata package. Additionally, network administrators should implement network-level controls to prevent access to potentially malicious domains and establish monitoring for suspicious redirect patterns in web traffic logs. The vulnerability highlights the importance of input validation and proper URL sanitization in web applications, particularly those serving administrative functions where user trust is paramount. Security teams should also consider implementing additional authentication controls and monitoring for unauthorized access attempts to pfSense management interfaces.