CVE-2009-4144 in NetworkManager
Summary
by MITRE
NetworkManager (NM) 0.7.2 does not ensure that the configured Certification Authority (CA) certificate file for a (1) WPA Enterprise or (2) 802.1x network remains present upon a connection attempt, which might allow remote attackers to obtain sensitive information or cause a denial of service (connectivity disruption) by spoofing the identity of a wireless network.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/30/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-4144 affects NetworkManager version 0.7.2 and represents a critical security flaw in the handling of certificate validation for wireless network connections. This issue specifically impacts WPA Enterprise and 802.1x network configurations where the system relies on Certification Authority certificates to establish trust and authenticate wireless networks. The flaw stems from NetworkManager's failure to verify that the CA certificate file remains accessible and valid when attempting to connect to protected wireless networks. This oversight creates a window of opportunity for malicious actors to exploit the authentication process by removing or replacing the legitimate CA certificate file with a fraudulent one, thereby enabling man-in-the-middle attacks. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-310, which addresses cryptographic weaknesses related to certificate validation and trust management, and demonstrates a clear deviation from secure coding practices that require robust validation of cryptographic materials.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows attackers to manipulate the certificate validation process by simply removing the CA certificate file from the system before a connection attempt occurs. When NetworkManager attempts to establish a connection, it fails to perform proper validation checks to ensure the certificate file's presence and integrity, creating a race condition where the system may proceed with authentication using an invalid or spoofed certificate. This behavior directly impacts the wireless network security framework by undermining the certificate-based authentication mechanism that is fundamental to WPA Enterprise and 802.1x protocols. The operational impact extends beyond simple authentication failures, as attackers can exploit this weakness to impersonate legitimate wireless networks, potentially capturing sensitive data transmitted over the wireless medium or disrupting network connectivity entirely. The flaw particularly affects enterprise environments where secure wireless access is critical for protecting corporate data and maintaining network integrity.
The security implications of CVE-2009-4144 are significant within the context of wireless network security and align with several ATT&CK techniques including T1566 for credential access through social engineering and T1046 for network service scanning. Organizations using NetworkManager 0.7.2 for wireless network management face potential exposure to unauthorized network access, data interception, and service disruption attacks. The vulnerability can be exploited by attackers who gain local access to systems or who can manipulate the network environment to remove certificate files before authentication attempts. This creates a particularly dangerous scenario in environments where wireless networks are configured with strong authentication mechanisms, as the flaw effectively nullifies the security benefits of certificate-based authentication. The impact extends to compliance requirements for secure wireless access, as this vulnerability could lead to violations of security standards such as NIST SP 800-46 for wireless security and ISO/IEC 27001 for information security management.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-4144 should focus on immediate software updates to newer versions of NetworkManager that address the certificate validation flaw, along with implementing additional security controls such as file integrity monitoring for certificate files and ensuring proper access controls on system directories containing cryptographic materials. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and additional authentication layers to reduce the impact of potential exploitation. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper certificate management practices and the need for robust validation mechanisms in security-critical applications, particularly those handling cryptographic materials and authentication processes. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be implemented to identify similar issues in other network management components and ensure comprehensive protection against certificate-based attacks.