CVE-2017-1450 in Emptoris Sourcing
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Emptoris Sourcing 9.5 - 10.1.3 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: 128177.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/10/2021
This vulnerability resides in IBM Emptoris Sourcing versions 9.5 through 10.1.3, representing a critical open redirect flaw that enables remote attackers to execute sophisticated phishing campaigns. The vulnerability operates through a carefully crafted web request that manipulates the application's redirect functionality, allowing malicious actors to present deceptive URLs that appear legitimate to users. This security weakness falls under the category of CWE-601 Open Redirect, which is classified as a direct consequence of insufficient input validation and inadequate output encoding in web applications. The flaw specifically exploits the application's trust relationship with its users, leveraging the expectation that legitimate redirect URLs will maintain their authenticity and security integrity.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows attackers to construct malicious URLs that contain encoded redirect parameters pointing to attacker-controlled domains. When victims click on these specially crafted links, the application processes the redirect request and displays what appears to be a legitimate IBM Emptoris Sourcing page, while actually routing users to phishing sites designed to harvest credentials or sensitive information. This deceptive mechanism bypasses standard security controls by leveraging the application's own redirect functionality against itself, making it particularly dangerous as users are more likely to trust familiar branded interfaces. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the application layer and requires minimal technical expertise to exploit, making it attractive to both automated attack tools and sophisticated threat actors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it provides attackers with a foundation for conducting more sophisticated multi-stage attacks within the target organization's network. Once users are redirected to malicious sites, attackers can harvest session cookies, steal sensitive business data, or deploy additional malware through drive-by downloads. The vulnerability particularly affects enterprise environments where users trust the IBM Emptoris Sourcing platform and may not scrutinize URLs carefully when redirected from what appears to be a legitimate internal application. This creates a significant risk for supply chain attacks, as compromised users may inadvertently provide access to sensitive procurement data or business-critical systems. The attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 Phishing, specifically targeting the initial access phase of the attack lifecycle.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation for all redirect parameters, implementing strict URL validation mechanisms, and deploying web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious redirect patterns. The solution architecture should incorporate proper URL sanitization techniques that prevent attackers from injecting malicious domains into redirect parameters while maintaining legitimate functionality. Additionally, user awareness training programs should emphasize the importance of verifying URLs even when they appear to come from trusted sources, as this vulnerability specifically exploits the trust users place in familiar application interfaces. Security controls should be implemented at multiple layers including network perimeter defenses, application-level input validation, and endpoint monitoring to detect suspicious redirect behavior. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and the potential for seemingly benign functionality to become a significant security risk when not properly secured.