CVE-2012-2498 in AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client 3.0 through 3.0.08066 does not ensure that authentication makes use of a legitimate certificate, which allows user-assisted man-in-the-middle attackers to spoof servers via a crafted certificate, aka Bug ID CSCtz29197.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/27/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2012-2498 affects Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client versions 3.0 through 3.0.08066, representing a critical security flaw in the client's certificate validation mechanism. This issue stems from insufficient certificate verification processes that fail to properly validate the authenticity of digital certificates presented by servers during the authentication phase of the VPN connection. The vulnerability creates a significant attack surface that enables man-in-the-middle attacks through user-assisted exploitation techniques.
The technical flaw manifests in the client's failure to adequately verify certificate legitimacy during the authentication process, specifically when establishing secure connections through the AnyConnect platform. This weakness allows attackers to craft and present fraudulent certificates that the client accepts as legitimate, effectively bypassing the intended security controls. The vulnerability operates under the principle that the client should validate certificate chains against trusted Certificate Authorities and ensure proper certificate attributes such as subject names, issuer information, and cryptographic signatures. When this validation fails, the system becomes susceptible to impersonation attacks where malicious actors can establish fake server identities and intercept or manipulate network traffic.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple authentication bypass to encompass complete network security compromise. Attackers can exploit this flaw to perform man-in-the-middle attacks, potentially gaining access to sensitive data transmitted through the VPN connection, including login credentials, personal information, and corporate data. The user-assisted nature of the attack means that victims must interact with the malicious certificate presentation, but this requirement significantly reduces the attack complexity. The vulnerability affects organizations using Cisco AnyConnect clients for remote access, making it particularly dangerous for enterprises that rely on secure remote connectivity for their workforce.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation in security protocols, and corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol: DNS, where attackers can manipulate certificate validation to redirect network traffic. The flaw represents a critical gap in the certificate trust model implementation, where the client's security controls fail to properly validate the certificate chain against established trust anchors. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of the AnyConnect client, enforcing certificate pinning where possible, and conducting thorough network monitoring to detect unauthorized certificate installations. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper certificate management practices and the need for robust certificate validation controls in enterprise security solutions.