CVE-2012-3446 in Libcloud
Summary
by MITRE
Apache Libcloud before 0.11.1 uses an incorrect regular expression during verification of whether the server hostname matches a domain name in the subject s Common Name (CN) or subjectAltName field of the X.509 certificate, which allows man-in-the-middle attackers to spoof SSL servers via a crafted certificate.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/19/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2012-3446 affects Apache Libcloud versions prior to 0.11.1 and represents a critical flaw in SSL/TLS certificate validation mechanisms. This issue resides in the library's handling of X.509 certificate verification processes, specifically within the regular expression used to validate hostname matching against certificate subject fields. The flaw enables attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting certificates that appear valid but actually contain malicious hostnames in the certificate's Common Name or subjectAltName fields.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from an insufficient regular expression pattern that fails to properly validate the hostname matching process during SSL certificate verification. When Apache Libcloud processes SSL connections, it should verify that the server hostname matches either the Common Name field or the subjectAltName field of the X.509 certificate. The incorrect regular expression pattern used in versions before 0.11.1 allows for partial matches or malformed patterns that bypass proper validation checks, creating a security gap where attackers can craft certificates that appear to be from legitimate hosts but are actually controlled by malicious actors.
This vulnerability directly impacts the integrity and authenticity guarantees that SSL/TLS protocols are designed to provide. The operational consequences are severe as any application or service using Apache Libcloud for cloud service connections becomes susceptible to impersonation attacks. Attackers can exploit this weakness to intercept communications, steal sensitive data, or redirect users to malicious endpoints while maintaining the appearance of legitimate secure connections. The vulnerability affects the fundamental security model of SSL/TLS certificate validation, undermining trust in the certificate-based authentication system.
The flaw aligns with CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1552.001 for unsecured credentials and T1046 for network service discovery. Organizations using affected versions of Apache Libcloud should immediately upgrade to version 0.11.1 or later to remediate this vulnerability. Additionally, system administrators should review their certificate validation policies and consider implementing additional monitoring for suspicious SSL connection patterns. The fix implemented in version 0.11.1 addresses the regular expression pattern to ensure proper hostname validation against certificate subject fields, thereby restoring the intended security properties of SSL/TLS certificate verification.