# CVE-2012-3540: Open redirect in n/a

> Remote attackers can redirect users to malicious sites via the login next parameter, facilitating phishing attacks against OpenStack Dashboard users.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.8 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 5 Sep 2012
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2012-3540, GHSA-j72v-mpwp-rg79, PYSEC-2012-18, RHSA-2012:1380

## What is CVE-2012-3540?

CVE-2012-3540 is a medium-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 5 Sep 2012. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Open redirect vulnerability in views/auth_forms.py in OpenStack Dashboard (Horizon) Essex (2012.1) allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via a URL in the next parameter to auth/login/.  NOTE: this issue was originally assigned CVE-2012-3542 by mistake.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2012-3540?

1 open source package ship an affected version, including horizon. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `horizon` | PyPI | All versions | None |
| `openstack-dashboard` | Red Hat:openstack:1::el6 | All versions | 0:2012.1.1-3.el6 |
| `python-django-horizon` | Red Hat:openstack:1::el6 | All versions | 0:2012.1.1-3.el6 |
| `python-django-horizon-doc` | Red Hat:openstack:1::el6 | All versions | 0:2012.1.1-3.el6 |

Products: Openstack Horizon.

## How do I fix CVE-2012-3540?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2012-3540 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2012-3540 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2012-2144](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2144/): OpenStack Horizon Session Fixation (medium 6.8)
- [CVE-2022-45582](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-45582/): Horizon Web Dashboard Open Redirect vulnerability (medium 6.1)
- [CVE-2026-55748](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-55748/): OpenStack Horizon RC file generation does not escape special characters in project names (medium 6.0)
- [CVE-2013-4471](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-4471/): Auth bypass in n/a (medium 5.5)
- [CVE-2026-43002](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-43002/): OpenStack Horizon has Incorrect Behavior Order (medium 5.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2012-3540 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2012-3540 is a medium-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 5 Sep 2012. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2012-3540 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- horizon (PyPI): affected all versions; no fix listed

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-3540/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-3540/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-3540
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-3540
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2012-3540

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-3540/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.