CVE-2016-8947 in Emptoris Sourcing
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Emptoris Sourcing 9.5.x through 10.1.x could allow a remote attacker to conduct phishing attacks, using an open redirect attack. By persuading a victim to visit a specially-crafted Web site, a remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability to spoof the URL displayed to redirect a user to a malicious Web site that would appear to be trusted. This could allow the attacker to obtain highly sensitive information or conduct further attacks against the victim. IBM X-Force ID: 118834
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/01/2021
This vulnerability exists within IBM Emptoris Sourcing software versions 9.5.x through 10.1.x, representing a critical open redirect flaw that enables remote attackers to execute sophisticated phishing campaigns. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization of redirect parameters within the web application's URL handling mechanisms, creating an exploitable condition where malicious actors can manipulate redirect URLs to masquerade as legitimate trusted domains.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-601, which specifically addresses open redirect vulnerabilities where applications redirect users to externally controlled destinations without proper validation. Attackers can craft malicious URLs that appear to originate from legitimate IBM Emptoris Sourcing domains while actually directing users to attacker-controlled websites. This open redirect mechanism operates at the application layer, typically through URL parameters that specify destination paths or full URLs, which are then processed without adequate security checks to verify their legitimacy.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to organizations utilizing IBM Emptoris Sourcing for procurement processes, as it enables sophisticated social engineering attacks that can bypass user security awareness. The attack vector requires minimal technical skill to exploit, making it particularly dangerous as users may be deceived into believing they are navigating to legitimate business applications while actually being redirected to phishing sites designed to capture credentials or sensitive business information. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple credential theft to potentially enable further attacks such as malware delivery or data exfiltration.
The exploitation of this vulnerability follows patterns consistent with ATT&CK technique T1566, specifically the use of phishing campaigns through malicious redirects. Organizations may experience cascading security incidents where initial compromise through open redirect leads to broader network infiltration, as users may inadvertently provide credentials to seemingly legitimate systems. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple versions suggests a fundamental flaw in the application's security architecture that requires architectural review and remediation.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and sanitization of all redirect parameters, including the implementation of allowlists for approved redirect destinations. Organizations should deploy web application firewalls to monitor and block suspicious redirect patterns, while also implementing user education programs to increase awareness of phishing indicators. The fix should address the root cause by ensuring that all redirect functionality validates destination URLs against a trusted domain whitelist, preventing redirection to arbitrary external domains. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous redirect behavior that may indicate exploitation attempts, while regular security assessments should verify that all redirect mechanisms properly enforce security controls to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future releases.