CVE-2004-2393 in JSSE
Summary
by MITRE
Java Secure Socket Extension (JSSE) 1.0.3 through 1.0.3_2 does not properly validate the certificate chain of a client or server, which allows remote attackers to falsely authenticate peers for SSL/TLS.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/29/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-2393 affects the Java Secure Socket Extension implementation in versions 1.0.3 through 1.0.3_2, representing a critical flaw in the SSL/TLS certificate validation process that undermines the fundamental security assurances provided by secure communication protocols. This weakness resides in the certificate chain validation mechanism within the JSSE library, which is responsible for establishing trust relationships between communicating parties in secure socket connections.
The technical flaw stems from insufficient validation of certificate chains during SSL/TLS handshakes, specifically allowing malicious actors to bypass proper certificate verification procedures. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by presenting forged certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable JSSE implementation, enabling them to establish false trust relationships with either client or server endpoints. This improper validation creates a path for man-in-the-middle attacks where attackers can intercept and potentially modify communications between legitimate parties without detection. The vulnerability directly impacts the certificate validation process, which is a core component of the Transport Layer Security protocol implementation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity of SSL/TLS connections established using affected Java versions. Remote attackers can leverage this weakness to perform successful authentication bypasses, potentially gaining unauthorized access to sensitive data, conducting eavesdropping operations, or executing data manipulation attacks. The vulnerability affects any application relying on Java's JSSE implementation for secure communications, including web applications, enterprise systems, and network services that depend on proper certificate validation for establishing secure connections. This weakness essentially renders the certificate-based authentication mechanism ineffective, undermining the entire security model of SSL/TLS implementations.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to patched versions of Java that address this certificate validation flaw, as the vulnerability provides attackers with a straightforward path to compromise secure communications. System administrators must conduct comprehensive inventory assessments to identify all affected Java installations and apply security patches promptly. Additional mitigations include implementing network-level monitoring to detect unusual SSL/TLS handshake behaviors, deploying certificate pinning mechanisms where possible, and establishing robust certificate management practices. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1573.002 for secure channel protocols, highlighting the critical nature of certificate validation in maintaining secure communications and the potential for attackers to exploit this weakness to establish unauthorized secure connections.