CVE-2010-3312 in Epiphany
Summary
by MITRE
Epiphany 2.28 and 2.29, when WebKit and LibSoup are used, unconditionally displays a closed-lock icon for any URL beginning with the https: substring, without any warning to the user, which allows man-in-the-middle attackers to spoof arbitrary https web sites via a crafted X.509 server certificate.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/27/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-3312 affects the Epiphany web browser version 2.28 and 2.29 when configured to use WebKit and LibSoup libraries for web rendering and network operations. This represents a critical security flaw in the browser's certificate validation and user interface presentation mechanisms that fundamentally undermines the security model of secure hypertext transfer protocol connections. The issue stems from the browser's failure to properly validate SSL/TLS certificates before displaying visual security indicators to users, creating a significant gap in the trust verification process that malicious actors can exploit to compromise user security.
The technical flaw manifests in the browser's handling of secure connections where it unconditionally displays a closed-lock icon for any URL beginning with the https: prefix regardless of the actual certificate validity or trust status. This behavior violates fundamental security principles by presenting a false sense of security to users who believe they are connecting to a legitimate secure website when in fact they may be communicating with a malicious server. The vulnerability specifically affects the certificate validation logic within the WebKit and LibSoup components, which are responsible for establishing secure connections and displaying appropriate security indicators to users. This unconditional display mechanism bypasses proper certificate verification procedures that should occur before any security icon is presented to the user interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and directly enables man-in-the-middle attacks where attackers can successfully spoof any https website by presenting a crafted X.509 server certificate that appears valid to the browser's validation system. This allows attackers to intercept and potentially modify communications between users and legitimate websites without users being aware of the compromise. The vulnerability essentially creates a false positive security indicator that misleads users into believing they are connected to secure sites when they are actually connected to attacker-controlled servers. This opens up numerous attack vectors including credential theft, data interception, and session hijacking, as users will trust the security indicators displayed by the browser.
Security researchers have classified this vulnerability under CWE-295 which specifically addresses improper certificate validation, and it aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to credential access and defense evasion. The vulnerability demonstrates a clear failure in the principle of least privilege and trust verification, where the browser assumes all https connections are legitimate without proper certificate validation. Organizations and individuals using affected versions of Epiphany should immediately implement mitigations including updating to patched versions, disabling automatic certificate validation, and employing additional security measures such as certificate pinning for critical applications. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper security testing and validation of user interface elements that present security information, as visual indicators must accurately reflect the underlying security state rather than simply appearing to be secure.
This vulnerability represents a fundamental breakdown in the security model of web browsers and demonstrates the critical importance of proper certificate validation before displaying security indicators to users. The flaw allows attackers to bypass the essential security mechanisms designed to protect users from malicious actors, making it a significant concern for any organization relying on affected browser versions. The impact extends beyond simple phishing attacks to encompass comprehensive security breaches that can compromise entire user sessions and sensitive data communications, emphasizing the need for immediate remediation and ongoing security monitoring.