CVE-2012-5793 in osCommerce
Summary
by MITRE
The Authorize.Net 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 • 03/15/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-5793 represents a critical SSL certificate validation flaw within the Authorize.Net module of the osCommerce e-commerce platform. This issue stems from improper SSL certificate verification mechanisms that fail to properly validate the hostname against the certificate's subject alternative name fields or common name field. The vulnerability specifically affects the secure communication channel between the osCommerce web application and the Authorize.Net payment processing service, creating a significant security risk for online transactions.
The technical flaw manifests in the module's inability to perform proper SSL certificate hostname verification during the secure socket layer connection establishment process. According to the x509 standard and security best practices outlined in the CWE-295 category, this represents a failure to validate the certificate's subject field against the actual server being connected to. The module accepts any valid SSL certificate without confirming that the certificate's domain name matches the target server's hostname, which violates fundamental security principles for establishing trusted connections.
This vulnerability enables man-in-the-middle attackers to exploit the SSL communication channel by presenting a valid certificate for a different domain than the intended target. The attack occurs when an attacker intercepts communications between the osCommerce store and the Authorize.Net payment gateway, presenting their own valid certificate that appears legitimate to the vulnerable system. This allows attackers to decrypt and potentially modify payment information, customer data, and transaction details without detection, fundamentally compromising the security of online payment processing.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it undermines the entire payment transaction integrity within the osCommerce platform. Attackers can not only eavesdrop on payment communications but also potentially redirect transactions to malicious endpoints, steal sensitive customer information, and conduct fraudulent transactions. This vulnerability directly affects the trust model of online commerce, as customers expect their payment information to be transmitted securely through verified SSL connections. The risk is particularly severe for e-commerce platforms handling sensitive financial data, as this flaw creates an open door for financial fraud and data breaches.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of the osCommerce platform and the Authorize.Net module, ensuring proper SSL certificate validation is enforced, and implementing additional monitoring for suspicious network activity. The mitigation strategy should align with the ATT&CK framework's network infiltration techniques, particularly focusing on securing communication channels and validating certificate authenticity. Security teams must also consider implementing additional security layers such as certificate pinning, enhanced network monitoring, and regular security audits to prevent exploitation of similar certificate validation flaws in other components of the payment processing infrastructure.