CVE-2018-3743 in hekto
Summary
by MITRE
Open redirect in hekto <=0.2.3 when target domain name is used as html filename on server.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/11/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-3743 affects the hekto web application version 0.2.3 and earlier, representing a critical open redirect flaw that can be exploited through improper handling of domain names used as HTML filenames on the server. This vulnerability resides in the application's redirect mechanism and demonstrates a classic security weakness where user-supplied input is not properly validated or sanitized before being used in redirect operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly validate domain names when they are utilized as filenames within the HTML structure. When a user provides a domain name that matches an existing HTML filename on the server, the application inadvertently processes this input as a redirect target without adequate sanitization checks. This creates an opportunity for attackers to craft malicious URLs that appear legitimate but redirect users to unintended destinations. The flaw operates at the application logic level where the system assumes that domain names used as filenames are safe for redirect operations, failing to recognize that such input can be manipulated to point to external malicious domains.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple redirection attacks and represents a significant risk to user security and application integrity. An attacker could exploit this flaw to create phishing campaigns by redirecting users to malicious sites that mimic legitimate services, potentially capturing credentials or sensitive information. The vulnerability can be particularly dangerous in environments where users trust the application's domain and expect safe navigation paths. Additionally, this flaw could enable more sophisticated attacks such as cross-site scripting vector exploitation or serve as a stepping stone for further compromise within a network environment.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-601 Open Redirect vulnerability classification, which specifically addresses situations where applications redirect users to external domains without proper validation, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 Phishing. The weakness exists in the application's input validation and sanitization processes, where domain names are not properly filtered or escaped before being used in redirect contexts. Security practitioners should note that this vulnerability represents a common pattern in web applications where developers assume that certain inputs are safe without implementing proper validation controls.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-3743 should focus on implementing robust input validation and sanitization measures that prevent domain names from being used as redirect targets without proper verification. Organizations should ensure that all redirect operations validate target URLs against a predefined whitelist of approved domains or implement strict URL parsing to reject external references. The application should enforce secure redirect mechanisms that either use internal relative paths or explicitly verify that any external redirect targets are legitimate and authorized. Additionally, developers should implement proper logging and monitoring of redirect operations to detect potential abuse attempts. Updates to hekto version 0.2.4 and later should be prioritized to address this vulnerability, as the maintainers have likely implemented proper validation controls to prevent the exploitation scenario described in the vulnerability report.