CVE-2016-10365 in Kibana
Summary
by MITRE
Kibana versions before 4.6.3 and 5.0.1 have an open redirect vulnerability that would enable an attacker to craft a link in the Kibana domain that redirects to an arbitrary website.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/18/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10365 represents a critical open redirect flaw affecting Kibana versions prior to 4.6.3 and 5.0.1. This security weakness resides in the application's handling of URL redirection mechanisms within its web interface, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate user navigation. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of redirect parameters, allowing attackers to construct malicious URLs that appear to originate from the legitimate Kibana domain while actually directing users to external malicious websites.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves Kibana's redirect functionality failing to properly sanitize or validate user-supplied redirect URLs. When users click on crafted links that exploit this vulnerability, the application processes redirect parameters without adequate input validation, enabling attackers to specify arbitrary destination URLs. This behavior violates fundamental web security principles and creates a trust exploitation vector where users may be deceived into visiting malicious sites while believing they remain within the trusted Kibana environment. The vulnerability specifically impacts the application's authentication and navigation components, where redirect functionality is commonly used for user session management and access control.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple phishing attacks, as it provides attackers with a mechanism to escalate their initial compromise. An attacker could craft links that redirect users to credential harvesting sites, malware distribution platforms, or other malicious infrastructure while maintaining the appearance of legitimate Kibana navigation. This creates a significant risk for organizations relying on Kibana for log analysis and monitoring, as compromised user sessions could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive log data and system resources. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where Kibana is used for administrative functions or where users may be less cautious about clicking links from trusted domains. According to CWE classification, this represents a weakness in the validation of redirect parameters, specifically CWE-601, which addresses open redirect vulnerabilities. The attack pattern aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, focusing on credential harvesting through social engineering methods that exploit user trust in familiar domains.
Organizations should immediately implement the recommended security patches for Kibana versions 4.6.3 and 5.0.1 to address this vulnerability. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing web application firewalls or proxy configurations that can detect and block suspicious redirect patterns. Security monitoring should include detection of anomalous redirect behavior within Kibana logs, particularly focusing on unexpected destination URLs or unusual redirect parameter patterns. Regular security assessments should verify that all redirect functionality properly validates and sanitizes input parameters, ensuring that only predetermined safe URLs are accepted. The mitigation strategy should also include user education regarding the risks of clicking unfamiliar links, even when they appear to originate from trusted domains. Organizations should conduct vulnerability scanning to identify any instances of older Kibana versions still in use within their environment, as these remain susceptible to exploitation. The remediation process should also include reviewing and updating access controls to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts.