CVE-2021-35205 in nGeniusONE
Summary
by MITRE • 10/01/2021
NETSCOUT Systems nGeniusONE version 6.3.0 build 1196 allows URL redirection in redirector.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/04/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-35205 affects NETSCOUT Systems nGeniusONE version 6.3.0 build 1196 and represents a significant security flaw related to improper input validation in the redirector component. This issue enables malicious actors to manipulate URL redirection parameters, potentially leading to unauthorized access and phishing attacks. The vulnerability resides within the application's handling of redirect URLs, where insufficient validation allows attackers to craft malicious redirection targets that could direct users to malicious websites or internal systems.
This weakness falls under the category of insecure direct object references and improper input validation, aligning with CWE-601 and CWE-20 categories that specifically address URL redirection vulnerabilities and input sanitization failures. The flaw operates by allowing unvalidated user-supplied data to be used directly in redirect operations without proper sanitization or verification against a whitelist of approved destinations. When the application processes redirect requests, it fails to validate whether the target URL belongs to an authorized domain or if it contains malicious payloads that could compromise user sessions or redirect to attacker-controlled infrastructure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple redirection manipulation and represents a critical risk to network security monitoring and management systems. Attackers could exploit this weakness to perform phishing attacks against legitimate users of the nGeniusONE platform, potentially gaining access to sensitive network monitoring data or using the system as a pivot point for further attacks within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely on nGeniusONE for network traffic analysis and security monitoring, as compromised redirect functionality could undermine the integrity of network visibility tools and potentially allow attackers to bypass security controls or access unauthorized network segments.
The attack vector for this vulnerability typically involves crafting malicious URLs with encoded or manipulated redirect parameters that can be submitted through web interfaces or API endpoints. Attackers may leverage this flaw in conjunction with social engineering campaigns or by compromising other system components to deliver phishing payloads through the redirector functionality. Organizations using this version of nGeniusONE should consider the potential for credential theft, session hijacking, and unauthorized access to network monitoring capabilities. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for attackers to establish persistence within network monitoring environments where the system's redirector functionality is heavily utilized for user navigation and system integration.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate implementation of input validation controls that enforce strict domain whitelisting for redirect operations, proper sanitization of user-supplied URLs, and regular security updates from NETSCOUT to address the identified vulnerability. Organizations should also implement network monitoring to detect unusual redirect patterns and establish security policies that restrict external URL redirection capabilities within the application. The remediation process requires careful review of all redirector functionality and implementation of proper access controls that ensure only legitimate and authorized redirection targets are processed by the system. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive testing to verify that the implemented fixes do not disrupt legitimate business operations while effectively blocking malicious redirection attempts.