CVE-2006-4499 in ModernBill
Summary
by MITRE
ModernBill 5.0.4 and earlier uses cURL with insecure settings for CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER and CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYHOST that do not verify SSL certificates, which allows remote attackers to read network traffic via a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/03/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-4499 affects ModernBill version 5.0.4 and earlier, representing a critical security flaw in the application's handling of secure communications. This issue stems from the improper configuration of cURL library settings within the software's network communication stack, specifically disabling essential SSL certificate verification mechanisms that are fundamental to establishing secure connections between client and server components.
The technical flaw manifests through the explicit disabling of CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER and CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYHOST parameters within the cURL configuration. These settings are designed to validate SSL certificates against trusted certificate authorities and verify that the certificate matches the domain name of the target server. When these parameters are set to false or disabled, the application becomes vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks where attackers can intercept and decrypt network traffic without detection. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation in security protocols, and represents a classic example of insecure cryptographic implementation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it fundamentally undermines the security model of any communications involving ModernBill's web interface and backend services. Attackers exploiting this weakness can not only read sensitive information transmitted between users and the application server but also potentially inject malicious content or modify data in transit. This creates a comprehensive security breach that affects all aspects of the application's communication channels, including user authentication data, configuration information, and any sensitive business data processed through the system.
From an attacker perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1046 category for network service scanning and T1566 for credential harvesting through man-in-the-middle attacks. The insecure SSL configuration provides attackers with a low-effort method to establish persistent surveillance over network communications, making it particularly dangerous for applications handling sensitive customer data or financial information. The vulnerability affects not only the immediate application but also creates potential for broader network compromise when ModernBill is integrated with other systems.
The recommended mitigations for this vulnerability involve immediate configuration updates to re-enable SSL certificate verification within the cURL library settings. Administrators should ensure that CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER is set to true and CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYHOST is configured appropriately to validate certificate authorities and domain matching. Additionally, implementing proper certificate management practices, including regular certificate rotation and maintaining up-to-date certificate authority lists, will strengthen the overall security posture. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect and alert on suspicious traffic patterns that may indicate active exploitation attempts against this vulnerability.