CVE-2018-1875 in InfoSphere Information Governance Catalog
Summary
by MITRE
IBM InfoSphere Information Governance Catalog 11.3, 11.5, and 11.7 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: 151639.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/26/2023
This vulnerability exists in IBM InfoSphere Information Governance Catalog versions 11.3, 11.5, and 11.7, representing a critical security flaw that enables remote attackers to execute open redirect attacks. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of redirect URLs within the web application's authentication and navigation mechanisms, allowing malicious actors to craft deceptive web links that appear legitimate while directing users to malicious destinations. The flaw specifically manifests when the application processes user-supplied redirect parameters without proper sanitization or validation, creating an avenue for attackers to manipulate the user's browser navigation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-601, which categorizes open redirect vulnerabilities as weaknesses where web applications redirect users to external sites without proper validation. Attackers can exploit this by crafting URLs containing malicious redirect parameters that point to phishing sites or malicious payloads. The vulnerability operates at the application layer, specifically within the web framework's URL handling components, where user input is processed without adequate security controls. This allows the attacker to manipulate the browser's navigation behavior through carefully constructed URLs that appear to originate from trusted sources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables sophisticated social engineering attacks that can bypass user security awareness and organizational defenses. When users click on maliciously crafted links, they are redirected to attacker-controlled websites that can appear legitimate due to the spoofed URL display. This creates an ideal environment for credential theft, malware distribution, and further exploitation attempts. The vulnerability particularly targets the trust relationship between users and the application, as users are deceived into believing they are navigating to legitimate internal resources while actually accessing malicious external sites. The attack chain typically involves initial user interaction with a crafted phishing link followed by potential data exfiltration or system compromise.
Organizations should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability, beginning with immediate patching of affected IBM InfoSphere versions to the latest security releases. Network-level controls such as web application firewalls and URL filtering systems can help detect and block suspicious redirect patterns. Additionally, user education programs should emphasize the importance of verifying URLs and avoiding clicking on untrusted links, particularly in email communications or external sources. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers and proper URL validation mechanisms within the application code can provide additional protection against similar attacks. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual redirect patterns and unauthorized URL modifications in web application logs. This vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and conducting regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in web applications. Organizations should consider implementing automated security scanning tools to identify potential redirect vulnerabilities across their web applications and ensure proper input validation is enforced throughout the application stack.