CVE-2012-1177 in libgdata
Summary
by MITRE
libgdata before 0.10.2 and 0.11.x before 0.11.1 does not validate SSL certificates, which allows remote attackers to obtain user names and passwords via a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack with a spoofed certificate.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/12/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-1177 affects the libgdata library versions prior to 0.10.2 and 0.11.x versions before 0.11.1, representing a critical security flaw in SSL certificate validation mechanisms. This weakness stems from the library's failure to properly verify SSL certificates during secure communications, creating a significant attack surface for malicious actors. The vulnerability specifically impacts applications that rely on libgdata for accessing web services through secure connections, particularly those interacting with Google services and other web APIs that utilize SSL/TLS encryption. The flaw allows attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting spoofed certificates that would otherwise be rejected by proper validation procedures.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation in secure communications. When libgdata fails to validate SSL certificates, it essentially disables the cryptographic security measures designed to ensure that communications occur between legitimate endpoints. This validation failure means that an attacker positioned between the client application and the target server can intercept and manipulate communications without detection. The attack mechanism involves the attacker presenting a fraudulent certificate that appears legitimate to the vulnerable application, allowing the attacker to decrypt and capture sensitive information transmitted over the connection. This weakness is particularly dangerous because it affects the fundamental security layer that protects user credentials and personal data during transmission.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft to encompass broader security implications for any application using the affected libgdata library. User names and passwords transmitted through affected applications become vulnerable to interception, potentially compromising user accounts across multiple services that rely on these library components. The vulnerability affects a wide range of applications including web browsers, desktop applications, and mobile apps that utilize libgdata for accessing Google services, social media platforms, and other web APIs that require secure authentication. This creates a cascading security risk where a single vulnerable library can compromise the security posture of numerous applications and services that depend on it for secure communications.
From an attack perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers credential harvesting through phishing and man-in-the-middle attacks. The attack vector requires minimal technical expertise to exploit, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by adversaries with basic networking knowledge. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of certificate validation in preventing cryptographic attacks and highlights the risks associated with using outdated library versions. Organizations and developers should consider implementing additional security controls such as certificate pinning, regular security audits of third-party dependencies, and maintaining up-to-date software versions to mitigate the risk of exploitation. The vulnerability also underscores the necessity of following security best practices in SSL/TLS implementation and emphasizes that even minor library updates can address critical security gaps that could otherwise compromise user data and system integrity.