CVE-2012-6581 in Request Tracker
Summary
by MITRE
Best Practical Solutions RT 3.8.x before 3.8.15 and 4.0.x before 4.0.8, when GnuPG is enabled, allows remote attackers to bypass intended restrictions on reading keys in the product s keyring, and trigger outbound e-mail messages signed by an arbitrary stored secret key, by leveraging a UI e-mail signing privilege.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/04/2022
This vulnerability exists in Best Practical Solutions RT versions prior to 3.8.15 and 4.0.8 where the application enables GnuPG functionality for email signing. The flaw stems from improper access controls within the email signing privilege implementation, specifically when the system processes email messages that are signed using stored secret keys. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to bypass intended restrictions on reading keys within the application's keyring, effectively enabling unauthorized access to stored secret keys that should be protected from general use. This occurs through a user interface manipulation that leverages existing email signing privileges to gain access to restricted cryptographic material.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the interaction between the application's keyring management system and its email signing functionality. When GnuPG is enabled, the system maintains a keyring containing both public and secret keys that are used for email signing operations. The flaw manifests when the UI allows an attacker to manipulate email signing privileges in such a way that they can access secret keys that are normally restricted to specific administrative users. This creates a privilege escalation scenario where standard users can potentially access secret keys and use them to sign outbound email messages, effectively impersonating any entity whose secret key is stored in the keyring.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows attackers to potentially forge email messages that appear to be signed by legitimate users or systems. This undermines the integrity of email communications and can be used for various malicious activities including phishing attacks, social engineering, or impersonation of trusted entities. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely on GnuPG for email security and trust verification, as it essentially allows attackers to bypass the cryptographic protections that should prevent unauthorized use of secret keys. The ability to sign outbound messages with arbitrary stored secret keys can lead to serious security breaches and trust violations within email systems.
This vulnerability maps to CWE-284 Access Control and CWE-310 Cryptographic Issues within the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, representing improper access control over cryptographic resources and weak cryptographic key management. From an ATT&CK perspective, this corresponds to T1566 Credential Access and T1552 Unsecured Credentials, as it involves unauthorized access to cryptographic keys and the potential for credential compromise through email system manipulation. The attack surface is particularly concerning in environments where RT is used for ticketing and communication systems where email integrity is crucial for security operations and trust management.
Organizations should immediately apply the vendor patches available for RT versions 3.8.15 and 4.0.8 to address this vulnerability. Additionally, administrators should review and restrict email signing privileges to only authorized users, implement proper key management practices, and consider disabling GnuPG functionality if not essential. Regular security assessments of email systems and monitoring for unauthorized key access attempts should be implemented as part of comprehensive security controls. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper privilege separation and access control mechanisms in cryptographic systems where secret keys are managed and used for authentication and integrity verification purposes.