CVE-2012-5783 in Commons-httpclient
Summary
by MITRE
Apache Commons HttpClient 3.x, as used in Amazon Flexible Payments Service (FPS) merchant Java SDK and other products, does not verify that 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 an arbitrary valid certificate.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/19/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2012-5783 represents a critical SSL/TLS certificate validation flaw within Apache Commons HttpClient 3.x library implementations. This issue specifically affects the Amazon Flexible Payments Service merchant Java SDK and numerous other software products that rely on this legacy HTTP client library. The fundamental problem lies in the library's failure to properly validate SSL certificates against the expected server hostname, creating a significant security gap that can be exploited by malicious actors. The vulnerability stems from improper implementation of hostname verification during SSL/TLS handshakes, where the system accepts any valid certificate without confirming that it matches the target server's domain name.
The technical flaw manifests when the SSL client processes X.509 certificates and only examines the Common Name field in the certificate's subject section while ignoring the subjectAltName extension entirely. This incomplete validation approach allows attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting a valid certificate issued by a trusted Certificate Authority but with a hostname that does not match the intended server. The vulnerability specifically targets the SSL hostname verification process, which is a critical security control designed to prevent attackers from impersonating legitimate servers. According to CWE-295, this represents a weakness in certificate validation where the application fails to properly validate the certificate against the expected hostname, making it susceptible to certificate spoofing attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching, particularly for financial services and e-commerce platforms that rely on secure SSL communications. Attackers can exploit this weakness to intercept sensitive data, including payment information, user credentials, and other confidential transactions processed through affected systems. The vulnerability affects any application using Apache Commons HttpClient 3.x that communicates with SSL-enabled servers, making it particularly dangerous for merchant services, payment gateways, and financial applications. The risk is compounded by the fact that the affected systems may not detect the compromise since the SSL connection appears legitimate from a certificate standpoint, allowing malicious activity to go undetected while data is being intercepted or modified.
Organizations affected by CVE-2012-5783 should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to Apache Commons HttpClient 4.x or later versions that properly implement SSL hostname verification, applying patches to the affected library versions, and ensuring that all SSL/TLS communications include proper hostname validation. The mitigation strategies should also include implementing additional security controls such as certificate pinning, network monitoring for suspicious SSL connections, and regular security assessments of all SSL-enabled applications. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1573.002 (SSL/TLS Mitigation) and T1046 (Network Service Scanning) as attackers can leverage this weakness to establish persistent man-in-the-middle positions within network communications. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper cryptographic implementation and highlights how legacy software components can introduce significant security risks into modern applications.