CVE-2012-5803 in Ubercart
Summary
by MITRE
The Authorize.Net module in Ubercart 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 identified as CVE-2012-5803 represents a critical SSL certificate validation flaw within the Authorize.Net module of the Ubercart e-commerce platform. This issue stems from improper implementation of SSL/TLS certificate verification mechanisms, specifically failing to validate the hostname against the certificate's subject common name or subject alternative name fields. The vulnerability exists in the cryptographic validation process where the system accepts any valid SSL certificate without ensuring proper hostname matching, creating a significant security gap in the payment processing pipeline.
The technical flaw manifests in the SSL certificate validation routine where the module performs insufficient hostname verification during the secure connection establishment phase. According to the x509 certificate standard and industry best practices outlined in cwe-295, the system should validate that the server's hostname matches either the common name field or any of the subject alternative name entries within the certificate. The absence of this validation creates a man-in-the-middle attack vector where malicious actors can intercept communications by presenting a valid certificate for a different domain, effectively bypassing the intended security protections.
This vulnerability has severe operational implications for e-commerce transactions processed through affected Ubercart installations. The man-in-the-middle attack capability allows attackers to capture sensitive payment information, customer credentials, and transaction data as it flows between the web server and the Authorize.Net payment gateway. The impact extends beyond simple data interception since the vulnerability compromises the fundamental trust model of secure communications, potentially leading to financial fraud, data breaches, and loss of customer confidence. Organizations using vulnerable versions face regulatory compliance risks and potential liability for failing to maintain adequate security controls.
The attack surface for this vulnerability is particularly concerning given the widespread use of Ubercart and Authorize.Net integration in e-commerce environments. Security researchers have classified this issue under attack technique t1046 which involves network service scanning and manipulation, while the underlying flaw aligns with cwe-295 which specifically addresses improper certificate validation. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of the Ubercart module to implement proper SSL certificate hostname validation, deployment of network monitoring tools to detect suspicious certificate usage, and implementation of additional security layers such as certificate pinning. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security audits of their payment processing infrastructure and consider implementing additional authentication mechanisms beyond standard SSL/TLS validation to protect against similar vulnerabilities in other components of their e-commerce stack.