CVE-2016-5878 in FileNet Workplace
Summary
by MITRE
Open redirect vulnerability in IBM FileNet Workplace 4.0.2 before 4.0.2.14 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 • 03/22/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-5878 represents a critical open redirect flaw within IBM FileNet Workplace 4.0.2 before version 4.0.2.14. This security weakness enables remote authenticated attackers to manipulate web application redirect mechanisms and direct users to malicious external websites. The vulnerability specifically affects IBM FileNet Workplace, a document management and collaboration platform that facilitates enterprise content management operations. The flaw exists in the application's handling of redirect parameters, allowing attackers to craft malicious URLs that would redirect unsuspecting users to phishing sites or other malicious destinations. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-601 category of URL Redirector Abuse, where applications fail to properly validate or sanitize redirect targets, creating opportunities for attackers to exploit user trust in legitimate applications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the redirect functionality of the FileNet Workplace application. When authenticated users navigate through the application and encounter redirect operations, the system fails to properly verify that the target URL belongs to the trusted domain or application. Attackers can exploit this by crafting specially formatted URLs containing redirect parameters that point to malicious domains, bypassing the application's normal security controls. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires only authentication to the application, meaning that an attacker with valid credentials can leverage this flaw to compromise user sessions. This weakness aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which describes the use of malicious links in phishing attacks, where the open redirect serves as a delivery mechanism for social engineering campaigns.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple redirection attacks, creating significant risks for enterprise environments that rely on FileNet Workplace for document management and collaboration. Organizations using affected versions face potential data exfiltration risks as users may unknowingly navigate to phishing sites designed to capture credentials or sensitive information. The attack surface is broad since the vulnerability affects authenticated users, meaning that even privileged accounts could be compromised through this vector. Additionally, the open redirect can be used to escalate attacks by chaining it with other vulnerabilities or by leveraging user trust in the legitimate FileNet Workplace application to make victims more susceptible to further exploitation. This vulnerability demonstrates how seemingly minor input validation flaws can create substantial security risks in enterprise applications, particularly those handling sensitive business information and requiring user authentication.
Organizations should immediately implement the vendor-provided security patch for IBM FileNet Workplace 4.0.2.14 which addresses this redirect vulnerability through enhanced URL validation and sanitization mechanisms. Network administrators should also consider implementing additional monitoring and filtering controls to detect suspicious redirect patterns in application logs, particularly focusing on redirect parameters that do not conform to expected domain patterns. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any other applications within their environment that may be susceptible to similar open redirect vulnerabilities, as this flaw is commonly found in web applications that handle user navigation. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that the patch does not introduce regressions in legitimate redirect functionality while maintaining the security improvements. Organizations should also review their incident response procedures to ensure proper handling of potential phishing attempts that may leverage this vulnerability, as the open redirect can be used as part of broader attack campaigns targeting enterprise credentials and sensitive data.