CVE-2016-0228 in Marketing Platform
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Marketing Platform 10.0 could allow a remote attacker to conduct phishing attacks, caused by an open redirect vulnerability in various scripts. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to redirect a victim to arbitrary Web sites. IBM X-Force ID: 110236.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/31/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-0228 affects IBM Marketing Platform version 10.0 and represents a critical open redirect flaw that enables remote attackers to conduct sophisticated phishing campaigns. This security weakness stems from inadequate input validation within multiple scripts embedded in the platform's web interface, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate redirect parameters and steer unsuspecting users toward fraudulent websites. The vulnerability operates by accepting unvalidated user input that controls redirection behavior, allowing attackers to craft malicious URLs that appear legitimate while directing victims to attacker-controlled domains.
The technical implementation of this flaw resides in the platform's handling of redirect parameters within its web scripts, where insufficient sanitization permits attackers to inject malicious URLs into redirect chains. This type of vulnerability maps directly to CWE-601, which specifically addresses open redirect vulnerabilities where web applications redirect users to external sites without proper validation. The flaw demonstrates characteristics of insecure direct object reference patterns where user-supplied data directly influences application behavior, creating an attack surface that can be exploited through simple URL manipulation techniques.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations using IBM Marketing Platform, as it enables sophisticated social engineering attacks that can bypass traditional security controls. Attackers can exploit the open redirect to create convincing phishing pages that appear to originate from legitimate marketing platform domains, making it difficult for users to distinguish between genuine and malicious content. The impact extends beyond simple credential theft, as these attacks can serve as initial access points for more complex multi-stage attacks, potentially leading to full system compromise through additional exploitation vectors.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with several tactics outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to initial access and credential access phases. Attackers can leverage this flaw as part of broader reconnaissance activities to establish footholds within target environments, using the open redirect to deliver malware or conduct further reconnaissance. Organizations should consider implementing comprehensive web application firewalls and input validation controls to mitigate this risk, while also conducting regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other web applications. Additionally, user education programs should emphasize the importance of verifying URLs and implementing multi-factor authentication to reduce the potential impact of successful phishing attacks. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of proper input validation and output encoding in web applications, particularly those handling user interactions and redirect functionality.