CVE-2012-0732 in Rational AppScan
Summary
by MITRE
The Enterprise Console client in IBM Rational AppScan Enterprise 5.x and 8.x before 8.5.0.1 does not verify X.509 certificates from SSL servers, which allows man-in-the-middle attackers to spoof servers and obtain sensitive information via a crafted certificate.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/15/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0732 affects IBM Rational AppScan Enterprise versions 5.x and 8.x prior to 8.5.0.1, specifically within the Enterprise Console client component. This represents a critical security flaw that undermines the fundamental trust mechanisms of secure communications. The issue stems from improper implementation of SSL/TLS certificate validation processes, creating a significant attack surface that malicious actors can exploit to compromise the integrity of communications between the client and server components.
This vulnerability constitutes a classic man-in-the-middle attack vector where adversaries can present fraudulent X.509 certificates to establish deceptive connections with the AppScan Enterprise Console. The flaw exists in the certificate verification logic that fails to properly validate the authenticity and trustworthiness of SSL certificates presented by servers. According to CWE-295, this represents a weakness in certificate validation that directly enables credential theft and sensitive data interception. The vulnerability allows attackers to impersonate legitimate servers and gain access to confidential information transmitted through the vulnerable console interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft to encompass complete compromise of the application security testing environment. Attackers exploiting this flaw can intercept and potentially modify communication between the AppScan Enterprise Console and its backend servers, potentially gaining access to sensitive configuration data, test results, and security scan information. This compromise undermines the integrity of the entire security testing process and could enable attackers to manipulate security assessments or gain unauthorized access to the underlying systems being tested. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on IBM Rational AppScan Enterprise for security testing, potentially exposing their security infrastructure to unauthorized access and data manipulation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-0732 require immediate implementation of the vendor-provided patch version 8.5.0.1 or later, which addresses the certificate validation flaw in the Enterprise Console client. Organizations should also implement network-level security controls including firewall rules to restrict access to the AppScan Enterprise Console and its associated services. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of the patched environment to ensure that certificate validation functions properly and that no other related vulnerabilities exist within the AppScan Enterprise deployment. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect potential exploitation attempts, and organizations should consider implementing additional authentication mechanisms beyond the vulnerable SSL certificate validation process. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which involves credential harvesting through deception, and represents a significant risk to organizations operating legacy versions of IBM Rational AppScan Enterprise systems.