CVE-2014-9737 in Language Switcher Dropdown Module
Summary
by MITRE
Open redirect vulnerability in the Language Switcher Dropdown module 7.x-1.x before 7.x-1.4 for Drupal allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via a URL in a block.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/04/2019
The CVE-2014-9737 vulnerability represents a critical open redirect flaw within the Language Switcher Dropdown module for Drupal version 7.x-1.x prior to 7.x-1.4. This security weakness resides in the module's handling of user-provided URLs within block configurations, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate web traffic redirection. The vulnerability specifically affects the language switching functionality that allows users to navigate between different language versions of a Drupal website, but it introduces a dangerous bypass mechanism that can be exploited by remote attackers without requiring authentication or privileged access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the module's block processing logic. When administrators configure language switcher blocks, they can specify URLs that users are redirected to upon selecting a different language option. However, the module fails to properly validate or sanitize these URLs, allowing attackers to inject malicious redirect targets. The flaw manifests when user-controllable input is directly incorporated into redirect headers or JavaScript redirection commands without proper filtering or encoding. This weakness falls under the CWE-601 vulnerability category, which specifically addresses open redirect vulnerabilities where applications redirect users to untrusted external sites, making it a prime target for phishing and social engineering attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple traffic redirection, as it enables sophisticated phishing campaigns that can deceive users into visiting malicious websites. Attackers can craft specially designed URLs that appear legitimate within the Drupal interface but redirect users to credential harvesting sites, malware distribution portals, or other malicious destinations. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it leverages the trust users place in legitimate website navigation, making it more likely that victims will fall for phishing attempts. The attack vector is straightforward and requires no specialized tools or knowledge, making it a popular choice among threat actors targeting Drupal installations. This vulnerability directly aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1566.002, which covers "Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment" and T1566.003 for "Phishing: Spearphishing Link," as it enables the creation of convincing phishing links that can bypass standard security measures.
Organizations running affected Drupal installations face significant risk of user data compromise and reputational damage when this vulnerability is exploited. The open redirect mechanism can be used to create convincing phishing pages that mimic legitimate website interfaces, potentially capturing user credentials or personal information. Security teams must consider the broader implications of this vulnerability, including potential for cross-site scripting attacks when combined with other flaws, and the possibility of attackers using the redirection to deliver malware payloads. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in web applications and highlights how seemingly benign features like language switching can become attack vectors when proper security controls are not implemented. Organizations should immediately update to the patched version 7.x-1.4 or later, implement proper URL validation at the application level, and monitor for suspicious redirect patterns in their web server logs. Additionally, administrators should review all block configurations and language switcher settings to ensure no malicious URLs have been introduced into the system.