CVE-2017-1287 in Rhapsody DM
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Rhapsody DM 5.0 and 6.0 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 • 01/06/2021
IBM Rhapsody DM 5.0 and 6.0 contain a critical open redirect vulnerability that enables remote attackers to execute sophisticated phishing campaigns through crafted web links. This vulnerability resides in the application's web interface handling mechanism where it fails to properly validate and sanitize redirect parameters. The flaw allows attackers to manipulate URL redirection logic by crafting malicious links that appear to originate from legitimate IBM Rhapsody DM domains while actually directing users to attacker-controlled malicious websites. The vulnerability maps to CWE-601 Open Redirect vulnerability, which is classified under the OWASP Top Ten 2017 as a critical security weakness. When users click on these crafted links, the browser displays the legitimate IBM domain in the address bar while silently redirecting to the malicious site, creating a deceptive user experience that exploits trust in the legitimate domain. This technique directly aligns with ATT&CK tactic TA0001 (Initial Access) and technique T1566 (Phishing) in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, enabling attackers to establish a foothold through social engineering rather than direct exploitation. The operational impact extends beyond simple credential theft as the phishing attacks can be used to deliver malware payloads, conduct further reconnaissance, or establish persistent access through more sophisticated attack vectors. The vulnerability affects organizations using IBM Rhapsody DM in development environments where developers frequently access web-based interfaces for model management and collaboration, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise settings where trust in internal applications is high.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the application's redirect functionality without proper input validation, allowing attackers to insert arbitrary URLs into redirect parameters. The flaw specifically affects the web application's URL parsing and redirection logic, where user-supplied input is directly used to construct redirect URLs without adequate sanitization or domain validation. Attackers can craft URLs containing malicious redirect parameters that bypass normal security checks, enabling them to redirect users to phishing sites that mimic legitimate IBM Rhapsody DM interfaces. This creates a trust exploitation scenario where users are deceived into believing they are navigating within a trusted environment while actually visiting malicious sites. The vulnerability exists at the application layer and requires no special privileges or authentication to exploit, making it particularly dangerous for widespread deployment. Security controls that rely on URL-based trust relationships become ineffective as the malicious sites can appear legitimate due to the spoofed URL display. Organizations using these versions of IBM Rhapsody DM face significant risk exposure as the vulnerability can be leveraged in targeted attacks against developers and system administrators who regularly interact with the web interface. The attack vector is particularly insidious because it leverages the inherent trust users place in legitimate application interfaces, making traditional security awareness training less effective against this type of deception.
Organizations should immediately implement comprehensive mitigation strategies including patching to the latest IBM Rhapsody DM versions that address this vulnerability, implementing strict URL validation controls, and deploying web application firewalls to monitor and block suspicious redirect patterns. Network-level controls should be enhanced to detect and prevent open redirect attempts, while security awareness training should emphasize the importance of verifying URLs even when they appear to come from trusted sources. The vulnerability requires immediate attention as it can be exploited through various attack vectors including email phishing campaigns, compromised websites, and social engineering tactics. Regular security assessments should include testing for open redirect vulnerabilities in all web applications, particularly those with redirect functionality. Organizations should also implement URL rewriting rules to prevent redirection to external domains and establish monitoring protocols for suspicious redirect activity. The mitigation approach should align with NIST SP 800-53 security controls, specifically focusing on access control and system and information integrity requirements. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and output encoding controls can prevent similar vulnerabilities in other web applications. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of validating all user-supplied input and implementing proper security controls at the application layer rather than relying solely on network-level protections. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in other applications within the organization's attack surface.