CVE-2016-5304 in Endpoint Protection Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Open redirect vulnerability in a report-routing component in Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager (SEPM) 12.1 before RU6 MP5 allows remote authenticated users to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/02/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-5304 represents a critical open redirect flaw within the Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager (SEPM) 12.1 platform, specifically affecting versions prior to RU6 MP5. This security weakness resides in the report-routing component of the SEPM system, which is designed to handle and process various security reports and notifications within enterprise environments. The vulnerability enables remote authenticated attackers to manipulate the redirection mechanisms that are typically used for legitimate purposes such as report distribution and user navigation within the management interface.
The technical implementation of this open redirect vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of redirect URLs within the report-routing functionality. When authenticated users interact with the SEPM management console and attempt to access certain report-related features, the system fails to properly sanitize or validate the destination URLs that are specified in redirect parameters. This allows malicious actors who have gained legitimate authentication credentials to craft specially formatted requests that will redirect users to attacker-controlled web domains. The flaw operates by accepting user-supplied input that is then used directly in redirect operations without adequate sanitization or validation checks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple redirection capabilities and presents significant risks for enterprise security environments. Remote authenticated users can exploit this weakness to conduct sophisticated phishing attacks by redirecting victims to malicious websites that appear legitimate within the SEPM context. This capability undermines the trust model of the security management platform and can lead to credential theft, malware distribution, and further compromise of the enterprise network. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it leverages legitimate authentication mechanisms, making it more difficult for security controls to detect malicious activity. Organizations using SEPM 12.1 before RU6 MP5 face potential exposure to targeted attacks that could bypass traditional security controls and compromise the integrity of their endpoint protection infrastructure.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability maps directly to CWE-601, which specifically addresses open redirect vulnerabilities in web applications. The flaw also aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1566 for phishing attacks and T1071 for application layer protocols, as it enables attackers to manipulate legitimate application functionality for malicious purposes. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches for RU6 MP5, implementing network-level controls to monitor and restrict outbound connections from the SEPM server, and conducting thorough security assessments of all report routing configurations. Additional defensive measures should include monitoring for suspicious redirect patterns in web logs, implementing strict access controls for SEPM administrative interfaces, and educating administrators about the risks associated with phishing attacks that could exploit this vulnerability. The remediation process requires careful attention to ensure that patch deployment does not disrupt existing security reporting workflows while addressing the core validation weakness in the redirect implementation.