CVE-2019-5965 in Mail
Summary
by MITRE
Open redirect vulnerability in Joruri Mail 2.1.4 and earlier allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/18/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-5965 represents a critical open redirect flaw discovered in Joruri Mail version 2.1.4 and earlier releases. This security weakness resides within the email client's handling of URL redirection mechanisms, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit user trust and manipulate web navigation behavior. The vulnerability's classification as an open redirect issue indicates that the application fails to properly validate or sanitize URL parameters that are intended to facilitate legitimate redirections, thereby allowing unauthorized third parties to craft malicious links that appear to originate from trusted sources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the application's redirect functionality. Attackers can craft specially formatted URLs containing malicious redirect parameters that bypass the application's security controls, enabling them to direct users to phishing sites or other malicious web resources. This flaw operates by accepting user-supplied URL parameters without sufficient sanitization or verification, allowing the application to process and execute redirects to arbitrary destinations. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the description suggest that multiple entry points within the application's interface may be susceptible to this manipulation, potentially including email links, web forms, or API endpoints that handle redirect instructions.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to both individual users and organizational security postures. The ability to conduct phishing attacks through legitimate email applications creates a particularly dangerous scenario where users are more likely to trust malicious links due to their apparent authenticity. The vulnerability enables attackers to harvest credentials, personal information, and sensitive data through carefully crafted deceptive redirects that exploit user confidence in familiar applications. Organizations utilizing affected versions of Joruri Mail face potential exposure to credential theft, data breaches, and reputational damage when attackers successfully exploit this flaw to redirect users to malicious sites.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-601 Open Redirect vulnerability classification, which specifically addresses the issue of applications redirecting users to external sites without proper validation. This weakness directly maps to the ATT&CK technique T1566.001 Phishing, where attackers leverage deceptive emails to redirect users to malicious sites. Security professionals should note that the open redirect vulnerability often serves as an initial access vector in more complex attack chains, where it may be combined with other techniques to establish persistent access or escalate privileges within target environments. The impact extends beyond immediate phishing scenarios to include potential for credential harvesting, malware distribution, and social engineering campaigns that exploit the trust users place in legitimate email applications.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating to patched versions of Joruri Mail, implementing strict URL validation controls, and deploying network-level protections to monitor and block suspicious redirect patterns. The remediation approach should involve comprehensive input sanitization, redirect destination verification, and implementation of security headers that prevent unauthorized redirection. Additionally, user education programs should emphasize the importance of verifying URLs before clicking links, even when they appear to originate from trusted email applications. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious redirect patterns and implementation of web application firewalls to prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper input validation and the potential consequences of inadequate security controls in widely used email applications.