CVE-2015-7943 in Drupal
Summary
by MITRE
Open redirect vulnerability in the Overlay module in Drupal 7.x before 7.41, the jQuery Update module 7.x-2.x before 7.x-2.7 for Drupal, and the LABjs module 7.x-1.x before 7.x-1.8 allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via unspecified vectors. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2015-3233.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/26/2019
The CVE-2015-7943 vulnerability represents a critical open redirect flaw affecting multiple Drupal modules including Overlay, jQuery Update, and LABjs within Drupal 7.x versions prior to specific patches. This vulnerability emerged from an incomplete remediation of the earlier CVE-2015-3233, creating a persistent security gap that adversaries could exploit to manipulate user navigation. The flaw specifically resides in how these modules handle URL redirection logic, allowing malicious actors to craft deceptive links that appear legitimate while redirecting users to attacker-controlled domains.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the affected modules' redirect handling mechanisms. When users interact with certain Drupal interfaces or modules, the system processes redirect parameters without sufficient verification of destination URLs. This allows attackers to inject malicious URLs that bypass normal security checks, enabling the exploitation of user trust through social engineering tactics. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires no authentication to exploit, making it particularly dangerous in web environments where users frequently interact with multiple modules simultaneously.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for Drupal-based websites, particularly those handling sensitive user data or serving as public-facing portals. Attackers can leverage this flaw to execute phishing campaigns by redirecting users to counterfeit login pages or malicious sites designed to harvest credentials and personal information. The impact extends beyond simple redirection as it enables sophisticated attack vectors including credential theft, malware distribution, and data exfiltration. Organizations running vulnerable Drupal installations face potential reputational damage, regulatory compliance violations, and financial losses due to successful phishing attacks facilitated by this vulnerability.
Security mitigations for CVE-2015-7943 primarily involve applying the official patches released by Drupal for each affected module. The Overlay module requires upgrade to version 7.x-3.1 or later, jQuery Update to 7.x-2.7 or later, and LABjs to 7.x-1.8 or later. Additionally, organizations should implement comprehensive URL validation mechanisms and consider deploying web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious redirect patterns. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-601 Open Redirect and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for credential harvesting through phishing. Network administrators should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any other modules or custom code that might implement similar redirect functionality, as the underlying architectural flaw could exist in other components of the Drupal ecosystem.