[25€ Broken Social Link] Due to outdated footer

Overview

During a routine security review, I discovered an issue related to outdated footer links that could expose a public-facing website to broken link hijacking (BLH) risks. Specifically, several social media links in the footer appear to be outdated or inactive, with at least one redirecting to an unrelated or third-party account not associated with the original organization.

Affected Page

🔗 URL: [Redacted for responsible disclosure]

The issue lies in the website's footer section, where some social media links no longer point to verified or official profiles. One notable example includes a Twitter/X link that redirects to an unrelated account.

Broken or outdated links, especially those pointing to social media or external services, can be exploited through a vulnerability known as Broken Link Hijacking.

Why This Matters

Broken or outdated links, especially those pointing to social media or external services, can be exploited through a vulnerability known as Broken Link Hijacking.

Attackers can register abandoned handles, expired domains, or inactive profiles and use them to impersonate the original organization—leading to phishing, malware distribution, or brand misuse.

Potential Impact

Brand reputation risk: Visitors may unknowingly interact with impersonated or malicious accounts.

Phishing and impersonation: Attackers could leverage hijacked links to steal user information.

Loss of user trust: Outdated links reflect poorly on site maintenance and security hygiene.

For a deeper look at this vulnerability class, see: 🔗 Hunting for Broken Link Hijacking (BLH) – Cobalt Blog

Timeline:

15-Nov-2024: Reported

18-Nov-2024: Acknowledged by security team