CVE-2012-2203 in Tivoli Monitoring
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Global Security Kit (aka GSKit) before 8.0.14.22, as used in IBM Rational Directory Server, IBM Tivoli Directory Server, and other products, uses the PKCS #12 file format for certificate objects without enforcing file integrity, which makes it easier for remote attackers to spoof SSL servers via vectors involving insertion of an arbitrary root Certification Authority (CA) certificate.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/17/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-2203 affects IBM Global Security Kit versions prior to 8.0.14.22, which is a critical security flaw in the certificate handling mechanism of several IBM directory server products. This issue specifically impacts IBM Rational Directory Server and IBM Tivoli Directory Server implementations where GSKit serves as the underlying security framework for managing cryptographic certificates. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of PKCS #12 file format certificate objects, creating a significant weakness in the certificate integrity verification process that could be exploited by malicious actors to compromise secure communications.
The technical flaw resides in the improper handling of PKCS #12 formatted certificate files within the GSKit component, which fails to enforce file integrity checks during certificate object processing. This weakness allows attackers to manipulate certificate files without detection, enabling them to insert arbitrary root Certification Authority certificates into the trusted certificate store. The vulnerability specifically affects the certificate validation process where the system should verify the integrity of PKCS #12 files before accepting them as valid certificates, but instead accepts potentially tampered files without proper cryptographic verification. This represents a fundamental failure in the certificate trust model where the system cannot distinguish between legitimate and malicious certificate objects.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables remote attackers to conduct man-in-the-middle attacks against SSL/TLS communications by substituting legitimate certificates with malicious ones. An attacker could insert a rogue root CA certificate into the certificate store, allowing them to generate valid certificates for any domain and impersonate legitimate SSL servers. This capability undermines the entire public key infrastructure trust model and could result in unauthorized access to sensitive data, interception of encrypted communications, and complete compromise of secure services. The vulnerability affects organizations using IBM directory servers for authentication and authorization services, potentially allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to enterprise resources and sensitive information.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to IBM Global Security Kit version 8.0.14.22 or later, which includes proper PKCS #12 file integrity verification. System administrators should also conduct thorough certificate audits to identify and remove any suspicious or unauthorized certificates from the trust stores. Additional defensive measures include implementing certificate pinning mechanisms, monitoring certificate changes in the directory services, and establishing strict access controls for certificate management operations. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-310, which addresses cryptographic issues related to improper certificate validation and integrity checking. From an ATT&CK perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving credential access through certificate manipulation and privilege escalation via compromised trust relationships, making it a critical target for both defensive and offensive security operations.
The vulnerability demonstrates a classic weakness in cryptographic implementation where basic integrity checks are omitted from certificate processing workflows, creating an attack surface that allows for certificate substitution attacks. This flaw represents a failure in the principle of least privilege and proper input validation, where the system accepts potentially malicious certificate data without adequate verification. Organizations should consider implementing additional security controls such as certificate transparency monitoring, automated certificate lifecycle management, and regular security assessments of cryptographic implementations to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in their environments.