CVE-2014-9343 in Snowfox Content Management System
Summary
by MITRE
Open redirect vulnerability in modules/system/controller/selectlanguage.class.php in Snowfox CMS 1.0 allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via a URL in the rd parameter in a submit action to snowfox/.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/07/2022
The CVE-2014-9343 vulnerability represents a critical open redirect flaw within the Snowfox CMS 1.0 content management system that exposes users to sophisticated phishing and social engineering attacks. This vulnerability specifically resides in the modules/system/controller/selectlanguage.class.php file, where the application fails to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied input parameters. The flaw manifests when a remote attacker manipulates the rd parameter within a submit action directed to the snowfox/ endpoint, enabling the system to redirect users to malicious external websites without proper authorization checks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the language selection controller. When users interact with the language switching functionality, the application accepts the rd parameter directly from user input without performing proper sanitization or validation of the target URL. This allows attackers to craft malicious URLs containing crafted redirect parameters that bypass normal security controls. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited through simple HTTP requests, making it particularly dangerous as it requires minimal technical expertise to implement successful attacks. The flaw essentially creates a trust relationship manipulation scenario where legitimate website users are unknowingly redirected to attacker-controlled domains that may appear to be part of the original website.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables attackers to conduct highly effective phishing campaigns by redirecting users to fraudulent login pages or malicious websites that mimic legitimate services. Users who click on links containing the malicious redirect parameter may be unaware they are being redirected to unauthorized domains, potentially leading to credential theft, financial fraud, or malware distribution. The vulnerability affects all users of Snowfox CMS 1.0 who interact with the language selection functionality, creating a broad attack surface that can be exploited across various user scenarios including web browsing, email links, or social media sharing. The impact extends beyond immediate user compromise to potentially damaging the reputation and trustworthiness of the affected website.
Security mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term prevention measures. The primary solution involves implementing strict input validation and sanitization of all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used for URL redirection. The application should validate that redirect URLs conform to predefined safe patterns and reject any external domain references that do not match the legitimate website's domain. Organizations should implement proper URL validation functions that check for absolute URLs against a whitelist of approved domains or implement relative path redirection only. Additionally, the implementation should follow the principle of least privilege by ensuring that redirect functionality only allows redirection to internal resources within the same domain. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-601 Open Redirect vulnerability classification and represents a significant concern under the ATT&CK framework category of Initial Access through Phishing techniques. The remediation process should include comprehensive code review of all redirect functionalities, implementation of proper security headers, and regular vulnerability scanning to prevent similar issues in future development cycles. Organizations using Snowfox CMS 1.0 should immediately apply patches or implement workarounds that enforce strict redirect validation to prevent exploitation of this critical security flaw.