CVE-2012-5507 in Plone
Summary
by MITRE
AccessControl/AuthEncoding.py in Zope before 2.13.19, as used in Plone before 4.2.3 and 4.3 before beta 1, allows remote attackers to obtain passwords via vectors involving timing discrepancies in password validation.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/13/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2012-5507 represents a critical timing attack flaw in the Zope application server's authentication mechanism, specifically within the AccessControl/AuthEncoding.py module. This vulnerability affects Zope versions prior to 2.13.19 and impacts Plone content management systems before versions 4.2.3 and 4.3 beta 1, creating a significant security risk for web applications relying on these components. The flaw exploits the time taken to validate passwords, which varies depending on whether the input matches the stored password hash, thereby exposing sensitive authentication information through timing discrepancies.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the implementation of password validation logic in the Zope authentication system where the comparison between provided credentials and stored password hashes does not occur in constant time. When an attacker submits a password for validation, the system's response time reveals information about the correctness of the input, as the comparison process takes different amounts of time based on how many characters match the target password. This timing variation creates a side-channel attack vector that allows remote adversaries to systematically determine valid passwords through repeated timing measurements, effectively bypassing traditional authentication protections.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables attackers to perform offline password cracking attacks against Zope-based systems, including Plone installations, by leveraging timing discrepancies in the authentication process. The impact extends beyond simple credential theft to potentially compromise entire web applications and their underlying data repositories, as successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to administrative interfaces, content management systems, and sensitive user data. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it does not require direct access to the system's memory or storage, making it a stealthy attack vector that can be executed remotely without detection.
Security practitioners should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to patched versions of Zope 2.13.19 or later, and Plone 4.2.3 or later, which address the timing discrepancy issue by implementing constant-time password comparison algorithms. Additionally, organizations should consider deploying intrusion detection systems that monitor for unusual timing patterns in authentication requests and implement rate limiting mechanisms to reduce the effectiveness of timing-based attacks. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-347, which addresses improper verification of cryptographic signatures, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1110.001 for credential access through password guessing, making it a critical target for both defensive measures and security auditing processes. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify any other applications or systems that might be vulnerable to similar timing attacks in their infrastructure.