CVE-2014-8070 in Pagekit
Summary
by MITRE
Open redirect vulnerability in YOOtheme Pagekit CMS 0.8.7 allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via a URL in the redirect parameter to index.php/user/logout.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/19/2017
The CVE-2014-8070 vulnerability represents a critical open redirect flaw in YOOtheme Pagekit CMS version 0.8.7 that fundamentally compromises user security through improper input validation. This vulnerability exists within the user logout functionality where the application fails to properly sanitize or validate URL parameters passed through the redirect parameter. The flaw allows remote attackers to manipulate the redirect behavior by injecting arbitrary URLs into the index.php/user/logout endpoint, creating a dangerous pathway for malicious actors to exploit user trust and system integrity. The vulnerability specifically affects the logout process where legitimate users might be redirected to attacker-controlled domains after attempting to log out of the system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate parameter validation within the Pagekit CMS framework where the redirect parameter is directly processed without proper sanitization or domain verification. When a user accesses the logout endpoint with a malicious redirect URL, the application blindly follows the instruction without checking whether the target domain is authorized or legitimate. This primitive input handling mechanism creates an ideal environment for phishing attacks where attackers can craft deceptive URLs that appear to originate from legitimate system domains. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-601 as an open redirect vulnerability, which is a well-documented weakness in web application security where applications fail to validate redirect destinations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple redirection, as it enables sophisticated social engineering campaigns that can compromise user credentials and system access. Attackers can leverage this flaw to redirect users to phishing pages that mimic legitimate login portals, potentially capturing authentication credentials or other sensitive information. The vulnerability also enables more advanced attack vectors such as credential stuffing or session hijacking where users might be unknowingly redirected to malicious sites during their normal browsing activities. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users might trust the system domain and fail to notice the redirection to an attacker-controlled site.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which involves phishing attacks through social engineering. The open redirect creates an attack surface that enables threat actors to establish trust relationships with users before delivering malicious payloads. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of implementing proper input validation and output encoding for all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in redirect operations. The flaw highlights the critical need for secure coding practices that include domain whitelisting, URL validation, and proper parameter sanitization to prevent such attacks from succeeding.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-8070 should focus on immediate patching of the affected Pagekit CMS version to the latest secure release that addresses the redirect validation issue. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation for all redirect parameters, ensuring that only pre-approved domains or relative paths are accepted. Network security controls such as web application firewalls should be configured to detect and block suspicious redirect patterns, while security monitoring systems should be enhanced to track unauthorized redirect attempts. Additionally, user education programs should emphasize the importance of verifying destination URLs even when navigating through system-provided links, as the vulnerability can be exploited to redirect users to malicious sites that appear legitimate. The remediation process should also include thorough security audits of other CMS components that might be susceptible to similar open redirect vulnerabilities, ensuring that the entire application stack maintains proper security controls.