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Apache Struts 2 Documentation
S2-017
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## Summary

A vulnerability introduced by manipulating parameters prefixed with "redirect:"/"redirectAction:" allows for open redirects

Who should read this | All Struts 2 developers and users
Impact of vulnerability | Open redirect
Maximum security rating | Important
Recommendation | Developers should immediately upgrade to Struts 2.3.15.1
Affected Software | Struts 2.0.0 - Struts 2.3.15
Reporter | Takeshi Terada of Mitsui Bussan Secure Directions, Inc.
CVE Identifier | CVE-2013-2248

## Problem

The Struts 2 DefaultActionMapper used to support a method for short-circuit navigation state changes by prefixing parameters with "redirect:" or "redirectAction:", followed by a desired redirect target expression. This mechanism was intended to help with attaching navigational information to buttons within forms.

In Struts 2 before 2.3.15.1 the information following "redirect:" or "redirectAction:" can easily be manipulated to redirect to an arbitrary location.

## Proof of concept

In the Struts Showcase App, open following URLs.

## Solution

DefaultActionMapper was changed to drop the features involved with "redirect:"/"redirectAction:"-prefixed parameters completely - see also S2-016.

Backward Compatibility

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After upgrading to Struts >= 2.3.15.1, applications using the "redirect:" / "redirectAction:" functionality will no longer work properly. Please investigate your code to replace such expressions with proper fixed navigation rules.

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It is strongly recommended to upgrade to Struts 2.3.15.1, which contains the corrected Struts2-Core library.