CVE-2012-5806 in Zen Cart
Summary
by MITRE
The PayPal Payments Pro module in Zen Cart 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, related to use of the PHP fsockopen function, a different vulnerability than CVE-2012-5805.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/09/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-5806 affects the PayPal Payments Pro module within Zen Cart e-commerce platforms, representing a critical SSL certificate validation flaw that undermines the security of online payment transactions. This weakness specifically targets the module's implementation of SSL/TLS certificate verification during server communications, creating a significant attack surface for malicious actors seeking to intercept or manipulate payment data. The vulnerability stems from improper hostname verification in the SSL certificate validation process, which is essential for establishing trust in secure communications between the web application and payment processing servers.
The technical flaw manifests through the module's reliance on the PHP fsockopen function without implementing proper SSL certificate hostname validation. This function establishes socket connections but fails to verify that the SSL certificate presented by the remote server corresponds to the expected hostname, a fundamental security requirement in secure communications. The vulnerability allows attackers to exploit the absence of certificate validation by presenting a valid SSL certificate for a different domain, effectively enabling man-in-the-middle attacks where malicious actors can intercept and potentially modify payment information during transmission. This issue is classified under CWE-295, which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in SSL/TLS implementations, and represents a deviation from standard security practices that should enforce strict hostname matching against certificate subject alternative names or common names.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it compromises the integrity and confidentiality of payment transactions processed through the affected Zen Cart installations. Attackers can exploit this weakness to redirect payment processing to fraudulent servers, potentially leading to financial losses for both merchants and customers. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in e-commerce environments where sensitive financial data is transmitted, as it undermines the entire SSL/TLS security framework that users expect to protect their transactions. This flaw can be leveraged as part of broader attack strategies within the MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically under the T1071.004 technique for application layer protocol: secure shell, where attackers manipulate secure communication channels to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate attention from system administrators and security teams responsible for maintaining Zen Cart installations. The primary solution involves implementing proper SSL certificate hostname verification within the PayPal Payments Pro module, ensuring that all certificate validation processes strictly check that the server hostname matches either the Common Name or Subject Alternative Name fields of presented certificates. Organizations should also consider updating to patched versions of Zen Cart that address this specific vulnerability, as the original module implementation fails to meet basic SSL security requirements. Additionally, implementing network monitoring and intrusion detection systems can help identify potential exploitation attempts, while regular security audits should verify that all SSL/TLS implementations within the application stack properly validate certificate authenticity and hostname correspondence. The vulnerability highlights the importance of adhering to security standards such as RFC 2818 and RFC 6125, which provide specific guidelines for hostname verification in SSL/TLS contexts, and demonstrates how seemingly minor implementation flaws can result in significant security risks in payment processing environments.