CVE-2015-5054 in Banner Student
Summary
by MITRE
Open redirect vulnerability in Ellucian (formerly SunGard) Banner Student 8.5.1.2 through 8.7 allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via a URL in an unspecified parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/28/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-5054 represents a critical open redirect flaw discovered in Ellucian Banner Student software versions 8.5.1.2 through 8.7. This security weakness resides within the web application's handling of user-supplied input parameters, specifically affecting the authentication and navigation mechanisms that govern user redirection flows. The vulnerability stems from inadequate validation and sanitization of URL parameters that are used to determine destination paths within the application's redirect functionality. Attackers can exploit this flaw by crafting malicious URLs containing specially formatted parameters that bypass normal access controls and direct users to attacker-controlled domains. The open redirect vulnerability falls under the CWE-601 classification, which specifically addresses URL redirector abuse and the potential for malicious redirection attacks that can be leveraged for phishing operations. This particular implementation flaw allows remote threat actors to manipulate the application's redirect behavior without requiring authentication or privileged access to the system.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-5054 extends beyond simple redirection capabilities and creates significant risks for institutional security and user trust. When exploited, the vulnerability enables attackers to craft convincing phishing pages that appear to originate from legitimate institutional domains, making it particularly dangerous for educational institutions that rely heavily on web-based student information systems. The attack vector typically involves sending malicious links through email campaigns, social engineering tactics, or compromised institutional communication channels, where users are redirected to fraudulent sites designed to capture login credentials or personal information. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001, which describes phishing attacks using malicious links, and T1071.004, covering application layer protocol attacks through web protocols. The affected Banner Student system provides access to sensitive student data, making the potential impact of such redirection attacks particularly severe from both privacy and security perspectives.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-5054 require both immediate patching and architectural defensive measures to prevent exploitation. Organizations should prioritize applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates that address the specific input validation flaws in the redirect functionality. Additionally, implementing strict URL validation mechanisms that only permit redirection to pre-approved domains or internal paths can significantly reduce the attack surface. Network-level controls including web application firewalls and content filtering solutions should be configured to monitor and block suspicious redirect patterns. Security teams must also implement user education programs to raise awareness about phishing attempts and the importance of verifying destination URLs before clicking on links. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and the principle of least privilege in web application security, where all user-supplied parameters should be rigorously validated before being used in redirect operations. Organizations should conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in their web applications and establish robust monitoring procedures to detect anomalous redirect behaviors that may indicate exploitation attempts.