CVE-2016-4334 in Jive
Summary
by MITRE
Jive before 2016.3.1 has an open redirect from the external-link.jspa page.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/28/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-4334 affects Jive software versions prior to 2016.3.1 and represents a critical security flaw in the external-link.jspa page functionality. This issue enables attackers to manipulate the application's redirect mechanism, potentially allowing malicious actors to redirect users to arbitrary websites. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the external link handling component, creating an opportunity for attackers to craft malicious URLs that bypass normal security controls. The flaw specifically impacts the web application's ability to properly validate and sanitize user-supplied redirect parameters, which are commonly used to direct users from internal applications to external resources.
From a technical perspective, this open redirect vulnerability operates by accepting user-controllable parameters that dictate the destination of redirects without proper validation. When the external-link.jspa page processes incoming requests, it fails to adequately verify that the target URL originates from an authorized domain or meets specific security criteria. This allows attackers to construct URLs with malicious redirect targets that appear legitimate to end users, enabling social engineering attacks such as phishing campaigns. The vulnerability can be exploited through various means including crafted links in emails, instant messages, or compromised web pages that direct unsuspecting users to attacker-controlled domains. The flaw directly maps to CWE-601 Open Redirect vulnerability, which is classified under the CWE Top 25 Most Dangerous Software Weaknesses, indicating its significant risk profile in web application security.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple redirection capabilities and presents substantial risks to user security and organizational integrity. Attackers can leverage this flaw to conduct phishing attacks by redirecting users to counterfeit login pages that mimic legitimate Jive interfaces, potentially capturing credentials and sensitive information. The vulnerability also enables more sophisticated attack vectors where malicious redirects could lead to drive-by download scenarios or serve as entry points for additional exploitation. Organizations using affected Jive versions face potential data breaches, credential theft, and reputational damage as users may unknowingly navigate to malicious sites. The attack surface is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where Jive platforms often contain sensitive business information and user credentials, making this vulnerability a prime target for threat actors seeking unauthorized access to corporate networks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-4334 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Jive installations to version 2016.3.1 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures including input validation on all redirect parameters, implementation of allowlists for valid redirect destinations, and deployment of web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious redirect patterns. Security teams should conduct comprehensive audits of all external link handling mechanisms within their applications and implement proper logging and monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1566 Phishing and T1071.004 Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols, emphasizing the importance of layered security approaches. Organizations should also consider implementing user education programs to raise awareness about suspicious redirects and phishing attempts, as human factors remain critical in defending against these types of social engineering attacks. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications and ensure comprehensive protection against open redirect threats.