CVE-2012-5808 in Zen Cart
Summary
by MITRE
The LinkPoint 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.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/05/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-5808 resides within the LinkPoint module of Zen Cart, a widely used open-source e-commerce platform. This flaw represents a critical SSL certificate validation weakness that fundamentally undermines the security of secure communications between the web application and its users. The vulnerability specifically affects how the module handles SSL certificate verification during secure transactions, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the trust relationship that should exist between the client and server.
The technical flaw manifests in the module's failure to properly validate SSL certificates through hostname verification. When establishing secure connections, SSL/TLS protocols require that the server's certificate contain a domain name that matches the hostname being accessed. This validation occurs in two primary locations within the certificate's X.509 structure: the Common Name field within the subject section and the Subject Alternative Name extension. The LinkPoint module in Zen Cart bypasses this crucial verification step, allowing any valid SSL certificate to be accepted regardless of whether it properly identifies the intended server domain. This weakness directly corresponds to CWE-295, which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in SSL/TLS implementations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, creating numerous attack vectors for man-in-the-middle adversaries. Attackers can exploit this weakness by presenting any valid certificate to intercept and potentially manipulate sensitive transaction data, including customer credit card information, personal details, and other confidential commerce data. The vulnerability effectively nullifies the security benefits of SSL/TLS encryption, as attackers can establish fraudulent secure connections that appear legitimate to end users. This creates a particularly dangerous scenario for e-commerce transactions where financial data is processed, making the platform susceptible to data breaches and financial fraud. The attack surface extends beyond simple data interception to include potential session hijacking and credential theft operations.
Organizations utilizing Zen Cart with the vulnerable LinkPoint module face significant security risks that align with several ATT&CK framework techniques including T1046 for network service scanning and T1566 for credential harvesting. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical expertise, making it attractive to both skilled and less sophisticated attackers. Security professionals should immediately implement mitigations including disabling the vulnerable module, implementing proper certificate validation controls, and ensuring all SSL certificates are properly validated against the target hostname. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network-level monitoring to detect potential SSL stripping attacks and other related threats. The fix typically involves updating the module to properly validate certificate subject names against the expected server hostname, aligning with industry best practices for secure SSL implementation as recommended by NIST SP 800-57 and other cryptographic standards.