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Summary
ngCERT has discovered a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) redirect vulnerability during its routine monitoring of the Nation’s cyberspace. HTTP redirect vulnerabilities, if exploited, can allow attackers to manipulate the redirect process, potentially leading to phishing attacks, unauthorized access, or other malicious activities. HTTP redirect vulnerabilities can be mitigated by Implementing Strong Input Validation, logging, and Monitoring Redirects, and more so users should be informed of HTTP redirect issues.
Description & Consequence
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) redirect is a mechanism used by web servers to instruct a client (browser) to automatically load a different URL. HTTP Redirect vulnerability is any security issue related to HTTP redirection behavior — including open redirects, unsafe redirects, and redirect loops. This vulnerability occurs when a web application improperly processes or handles URL redirection and could be exploited if user input is insufficiently validated or sanitized before being used in the redirection process or by manipulating the URL to include the parameters that redirect the user to a different URL. Common areas where this vulnerability may occur include Login portals or password reset pages, Search results or marketing/advertisement links, External links or referral tracking systems, User profile and settings pages.
Exploiting this vulnerability successfully can have several harmful consequences, including:
- Phishing Attacks
- Server-Side Request Forgery
- Data breach
- Reputational damage
- Data exfiltration
Solution
The following mitigations should be considered:
- Use a trusted URLs: a predefined, trusted URLs should be used for redirects and also ensure the destination is within the domain or is a verified external URL.
- Use a Whitelist for Redirect URLs: Ensure only URLs from a defined whitelist of trusted domains are allowed for redirection. For example, validate the destination URL to ensure it is within the same
- Implement Strong Input Validation: Avoid using user input directly in redirection domain or a list of approved third-party services.
- Log and Monitor Redirects: Log redirect attempts and monitor for unusual patterns that might indicate abuse.
- Educate Users: Encourage users to inspect links before clicking and use browser protections (e.g., safe browsing tools).
Reference
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