CVE-2016-8961 in BigFix Inventory
Summary
by MITRE
IBM BigFix Inventory v9 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.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2020
IBM BigFix Inventory version 9 contains a critical open redirect vulnerability that enables remote attackers to execute sophisticated phishing campaigns through malicious web redirects. This vulnerability exists within the web application's URL handling mechanism, specifically in how it processes and validates redirect parameters. The flaw allows attackers to craft malicious URLs that appear to originate from legitimate BigFix Inventory domains while actually directing users to attacker-controlled websites. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization of redirect targets, creating a pathway for attackers to manipulate the application's redirect functionality.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of URL parameters that control redirection behavior within the BigFix Inventory web interface. When a user clicks on a crafted link containing malicious redirect parameters, the application fails to properly validate the target URL against a whitelist of trusted domains. This allows the redirect to proceed to any arbitrary web address specified in the malicious URL, effectively bypassing the application's security controls. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited through standard web browser interactions without requiring specialized tools or techniques. According to CWE-601, this represents an open redirect vulnerability where the application's redirect function does not properly validate the destination URL.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple phishing attacks to enable more sophisticated social engineering campaigns. Attackers can create convincing deceptive web pages that appear to be legitimate BigFix Inventory interfaces, potentially gaining access to sensitive user credentials, system information, or other confidential data. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it leverages the trust users place in legitimate corporate applications, making it more likely that victims will comply with malicious requests. This opens the door for credential theft, session hijacking, and further exploitation of the victim's environment. The attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001, which describes phishing campaigns targeting web applications, and T1566.002 for phishing through email, as the vulnerability can be exploited through various delivery mechanisms.
Organizations using IBM BigFix Inventory v9 should implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability. The most effective approach involves implementing strict URL validation and whitelisting of redirect destinations within the application. This includes modifying the web application code to validate all redirect parameters against a predetermined list of approved domains and rejecting any requests that attempt to redirect to external or untrusted locations. Additionally, organizations should deploy web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious redirect patterns, and implement security awareness training to help users recognize phishing attempts. The vulnerability also requires a comprehensive review of the application's input validation mechanisms to prevent similar issues in other components. Organizations should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication and monitoring for unusual redirect activity to detect potential exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any related issues that may have been overlooked during the initial assessment of the application's security posture.