CVE-2015-3233 in Drupal
Summary
by MITRE
Open redirect vulnerability in the Overlay module in Drupal 7.x before 7.38 allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/21/2022
The CVE-2015-3233 vulnerability represents a critical open redirect flaw within Drupal 7.x versions prior to 7.38, specifically affecting the Overlay module. This vulnerability enables remote attackers to manipulate user navigation by redirecting them to malicious websites, creating significant security risks for Drupal-based web applications. The issue stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the overlay module's redirect functionality, which processes user-provided URLs without adequate security checks. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple redirection as it can be exploited to facilitate sophisticated phishing attacks where users are tricked into visiting malicious sites that appear legitimate due to the redirect mechanism.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability lies in the improper handling of URL parameters within the Overlay module's internal redirect logic. Attackers can craft malicious URLs that exploit the module's trust in user input, allowing them to specify arbitrary redirect destinations. This flaw typically occurs when the application accepts user-supplied URLs for redirection without validating their legitimacy or ensuring they belong to the same domain or are properly sanitized. The vulnerability's exploitation vector remains unspecified in the original description but generally involves manipulating query parameters or URL structures that the overlay module processes, potentially leveraging the module's default behavior of accepting and redirecting to any provided URL without proper domain validation.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-3233 is substantial as it creates a persistent attack surface for threat actors seeking to conduct social engineering campaigns. Organizations using affected Drupal versions face increased risk of successful phishing attacks, credential theft, and malware distribution through seemingly legitimate website redirects. The vulnerability can be particularly dangerous when combined with other attack vectors, as attackers may use the redirect functionality to first establish trust with users before directing them to malicious sites. This type of vulnerability directly impacts user trust and can result in significant reputational damage, financial losses, and potential regulatory compliance issues for organizations that fail to patch affected systems.
Security practitioners should prioritize immediate remediation of this vulnerability by upgrading to Drupal 7.38 or later versions where the issue has been addressed through proper input validation and sanitization measures. The fix typically involves implementing strict URL validation that ensures redirect destinations are either internal to the application or explicitly authorized external domains. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as content security policies, web application firewalls, and monitoring for suspicious redirect patterns. From a compliance standpoint, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-601 open redirect vulnerabilities and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 phishing, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security measures that address both the immediate technical flaw and broader threat landscape considerations.