CVE-2012-5792 in osCommerce
Summary
by MITRE
The Sage Pay Direct module in osCommerce 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 • 03/16/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2012-5792 represents a critical SSL certificate validation flaw within the Sage Pay Direct module of osCommerce e-commerce platforms. This weakness resides in the module's failure to properly implement SSL certificate hostname verification, a fundamental security control that should ensure the server presenting a certificate matches the domain name being accessed. The vulnerability specifically affects the X.509 certificate validation process where the system does not check either the Common Name field or the Subject Alternative Name extension of the certificate against the actual hostname being connected to. This oversight creates a significant attack surface that enables malicious actors to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting any valid SSL certificate, regardless of whether it matches the target domain.
The technical flaw manifests in the module's improper implementation of SSL/TLS certificate validation routines, which should follow established security protocols to prevent certificate forgery attacks. According to CWE-295, this vulnerability maps directly to "Improper Certificate Validation" where systems fail to properly validate SSL/TLS certificates against the expected host. The attack vector leverages the fact that attackers can obtain valid certificates from Certificate Authorities or create self-signed certificates that can be accepted by the vulnerable system. When a user connects to a merchant's website using the Sage Pay Direct payment module, an attacker positioned between the user and the merchant server can intercept the connection and present a fraudulent certificate that appears legitimate to the osCommerce system, thereby enabling them to capture sensitive payment information including credit card details and personal identification data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception to encompass complete financial fraud and customer data compromise. Attackers can exploit this weakness to steal payment information during online transactions, potentially affecting thousands of customers who use the vulnerable osCommerce platforms for their e-commerce operations. The vulnerability affects not just individual merchants but also creates widespread security concerns across the osCommerce ecosystem, as the Sage Pay Direct module was widely deployed across numerous online stores. According to ATT&CK framework's T1566.001 technique, this vulnerability represents a "Phishing with Spoofed Delivery" attack vector where the SSL certificate validation failure enables the creation of convincing fraudulent web interfaces that can deceive users into providing sensitive information.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-5792 require immediate action from affected organizations to address the root cause of the SSL certificate validation failure. The primary remediation involves updating the Sage Pay Direct module to properly implement SSL certificate hostname verification according to RFC 2818 and RFC 6125 standards. Organizations should also implement additional security controls including regular security audits of SSL/TLS implementations, deployment of automated certificate monitoring tools, and consideration of upgrading to modern payment processing solutions that properly enforce certificate validation. The vulnerability serves as a stark reminder of the importance of proper cryptographic implementation and the critical need for robust SSL/TLS certificate validation mechanisms in financial transaction processing systems. Security teams should also consider implementing network-level protections such as certificate pinning and regular vulnerability scanning to detect and prevent exploitation of similar weaknesses in other modules or applications within their infrastructure.