CVE-2017-1000484 in Plone
Summary
by MITRE
By linking to a specific url in Plone 2.5-5.1rc1 with a parameter, an attacker could send you to his own website. On its own this is not so bad: the attacker could more easily link directly to his own website instead. But in combination with another attack, you could be sent to the Plone login form and login, then get redirected to the specific url, and then get a second redirect to the attacker website. (The specific url can be seen by inspecting the hotfix code, but we don't want to make it too easy for attackers by spelling it out here.)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/19/2019
CVE-2017-1000484 represents a web application vulnerability found in the Plone content management system affecting versions 2.5 through 5.1rc1. This vulnerability manifests as a sophisticated redirect mechanism that can be exploited through malicious URL parameters to manipulate user navigation. The flaw operates as a multi-stage attack vector that leverages the application's redirect handling capabilities to create a deceptive user experience. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-601 as an Open Redirect vulnerability, where the application fails to properly validate redirect destinations, allowing attackers to craft URLs that redirect users to arbitrary external domains.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires careful orchestration of multiple redirect sequences to achieve the desired malicious outcome. Attackers can construct specific URL parameters that initially appear legitimate but ultimately redirect users through the Plone login interface before finally directing them to attacker-controlled websites. This technique exploits the trust relationship between the Plone application and its users, leveraging the application's own redirect functionality against itself. The vulnerability demonstrates a critical weakness in input validation and redirect destination verification mechanisms within the Plone framework, where parameter values are not properly sanitized or validated against a trusted domain whitelist.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple phishing attempts, as it can be combined with other attack vectors to create more sophisticated social engineering campaigns. When combined with authentication bypass techniques or session manipulation attacks, the vulnerability can effectively trap users in a sequence of redirects that appears legitimate while directing them to malicious sites. This creates a dangerous environment where users may unknowingly authenticate to the Plone system before being redirected to attacker-controlled domains, potentially exposing credentials or sensitive information. The vulnerability also represents a significant concern for organizations that rely on Plone for content management, as it can be used to spread malware or conduct credential harvesting attacks.
Organizations should implement comprehensive mitigation strategies that include strict input validation for all redirect parameters, implementation of domain whitelisting for redirect destinations, and regular security audits of web application functionality. The vulnerability underscores the importance of proper security controls in web applications, particularly those handling user authentication and navigation. Security professionals should consider implementing network-level controls and monitoring for suspicious redirect patterns, while also ensuring that all Plone installations are updated to patched versions that address this vulnerability. This issue aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers phishing with malicious redirects, and emphasizes the critical need for proper redirect validation as outlined in OWASP Top 10 2021 category A01:2021 - Broken Access Control.