Dell Unity Open Redirect Vulnerability (CVE-2025-24381): Risks and Mitigation

A high-severity open redirect vulnerability (CVE-2025-24381) has been identified in Dell Unity storage systems running versions 5.4 and earlier. The flaw, rated 8.8 (HIGH) on the CVSS scale, allows unauthenticated attackers to redirect users to malicious websites, potentially enabling phishing attacks or session theft. This vulnerability underscores the persistent risks posed by unvalidated URL redirections in enterprise systems.

TL;DR Summary

• CVE-2025-24381: Open redirect in Dell Unity (v5.4 and prior)
• Impact: Phishing, credential theft, session hijacking
• Attack Vector: Remote, unauthenticated
• CVSS: 8.8 (HIGH)
• Affected: Dell Unity ≤ v5.4

Technical Analysis

The vulnerability stems from improper validation of URL parameters in Dell Unity’s web interface. Similar to historical flaws in Drupal (CVE-2015-2749) and PHPWind (CVE-2015-4134), the system fails to sanitize user-supplied redirect destinations. Attackers can craft malicious links that appear legitimate but redirect to attacker-controlled domains.

Open redirect vulnerabilities (CWE-601) remain prevalent across web applications. As noted in recent research, legacy systems like IBM WebSphere (CVE-2014-4760) and Cisco WebEx (CVE-2015-4297) exhibit similar weaknesses due to insufficient input validation. The Dell Unity case follows this pattern, where a lack of strict domain validation enables exploitation.

Proof of Concept

While no public PoC exists for CVE-2025-24381, the attack likely resembles known open redirect patterns. For example, vulnerable systems often process redirects via unsanitized parameters:

// Example vulnerable code (generic pattern)
http://victim.example.com/redirect?url=http://malicious.example.com

Mitigation and Detection

Dell has not yet released patches as of March 28, 2025. Recommended actions include:

1. Implement web application firewalls (WAFs) to block open redirect patterns
2. Monitor for abnormal redirects in access logs
3. Educate users about phishing risks from unexpected redirects

Relevance to Security Teams

For defensive teams, this vulnerability highlights the need to:

• Audit internal applications for similar flaws
• Review SIEM rules for open redirect patterns
• Update phishing awareness training

Offensive security professionals may test for similar vulnerabilities during authorized engagements, using techniques like parameter fuzzing for unvalidated redirects.

Conclusion

CVE-2025-24381 demonstrates how open redirect vulnerabilities continue to affect enterprise systems. Organizations using Dell Unity should monitor for vendor updates and implement compensating controls until patches are available. This case reinforces the importance of proper URL validation across all web applications.

References

1. National Vulnerability Database [Accessed March 28, 2025]
2. MITRE CWE-601: URL Redirection to Untrusted Site [Accessed March 28, 2025]