CVE-2013-2073 in Transifex
Summary
by MITRE
Transifex command-line client before 0.9 does not validate X.509 certificates, which allows man-in-the-middle attackers to spoof a Transifex server via an arbitrary certificate.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/12/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-2073 affects the Transifex command-line client version 0.9 and earlier, presenting a critical security flaw in certificate validation mechanisms. This issue resides in the client's inability to properly validate X.509 certificates during secure communications, creating a pathway for malicious actors to execute man-in-the-middle attacks against the system. The flaw specifically impacts the client's trust model when establishing connections to Transifex servers, allowing attackers to present arbitrary certificates that the client would accept without proper verification.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate certificate validation logic within the client's SSL/TLS handling code. When the command-line client establishes a secure connection to a Transifex server, it fails to perform proper certificate chain validation, hostname verification, or signature validation checks that are fundamental to secure communication protocols. This weakness enables attackers to intercept communications between the client and server by presenting a malicious certificate that appears to be from a legitimate Transifex endpoint. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in secure communications, and represents a classic example of a trust management flaw that undermines the entire security architecture of the client-server interaction.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, as it allows attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive translation data, potentially compromising the integrity and confidentiality of translation projects managed through Transifex. An attacker could intercept, modify, or redirect translation requests and responses, potentially leading to data corruption, unauthorized access to proprietary content, or the injection of malicious translation strings. The vulnerability also enables credential theft if the client authenticates using tokens or credentials that are transmitted over the insecure connection. This flaw particularly affects organizations that rely on Transifex for managing multilingual content and translation workflows, as it creates an attack surface that could compromise entire translation ecosystems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-2073 require immediate attention through software updates to version 0.9 or later, which includes proper certificate validation mechanisms. Organizations should also implement network-level monitoring to detect unusual communication patterns that might indicate man-in-the-middle activity. The fix addresses the vulnerability through proper SSL/TLS certificate validation, ensuring that the client verifies certificate chains, performs hostname checks, and validates certificate signatures before establishing secure connections. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing network security controls such as SSL inspection and certificate pinning to provide additional layers of protection. This remediation aligns with ATT&CK technique T1573.002, which covers the use of secure communication protocols and proper certificate validation to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks, and demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices in client applications that handle sensitive data exchanges.