CVE-2013-2770 in Kanaka
Summary
by MITRE
The installation functionality in the Novell Kanaka component before 2.8 for Novell Open Enterprise Server (OES) on Mac OS X does not verify the server s X.509 certificate during an SSL session, which allows man-in-the-middle attackers to spoof servers via an arbitrary certificate.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/25/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-2770 affects the Novell Kanaka component version 2.8 and earlier in Novell Open Enterprise Server environments running on Mac OS X systems. This weakness resides in the installation functionality of the Kanaka component which is responsible for managing network authentication and directory services integration. The core issue manifests when establishing SSL sessions for secure communications between client systems and server infrastructure, where the system fails to perform proper certificate verification processes. This critical flaw allows malicious actors to conduct man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting arbitrary X.509 certificates that appear legitimate to the client system, effectively bypassing the security mechanisms designed to ensure secure communications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the absence of certificate validation procedures during the SSL handshake process within the Kanaka component's installation routines. When a client attempts to establish a secure connection with a server, the system should validate the server's X.509 certificate against trusted certificate authorities and verify that the certificate matches the expected server identity. However, in affected versions, this validation step is completely omitted, leaving the system vulnerable to attackers who can generate or obtain fraudulent certificates that will be accepted without question. This flaw directly relates to CWE-295 which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in secure communications, and represents a fundamental breakdown in the SSL/TLS security model that should prevent such attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-2770 extends beyond simple credential theft, as it enables attackers to intercept and potentially modify all communications between the affected client systems and servers. This vulnerability allows adversaries to establish false trust relationships with legitimate systems, potentially enabling them to access sensitive network resources, manipulate authentication processes, and compromise the integrity of directory services that depend on secure communications. Organizations running affected Novell OES environments face significant risk of unauthorized access to their network infrastructure, particularly in scenarios where the Kanaka component is used for user authentication and directory synchronization. The vulnerability affects the fundamental security posture of the entire Open Enterprise Server platform, as it undermines the trust model that secure communications rely upon.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate action to upgrade to Novell Kanaka version 2.8 or later, which includes proper certificate validation mechanisms. Organizations should also implement network monitoring solutions to detect unusual certificate behavior and establish certificate pinning policies where possible. The remediation process involves not only software updates but also comprehensive security assessments of existing network communications to identify any potential compromise from previous attacks. Security teams should review certificate management policies and ensure that all SSL/TLS implementations properly validate server certificates against trusted certificate authorities. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046 which covers network service scanning and T1566 which covers credential harvesting through man-in-the-middle attacks, emphasizing the need for comprehensive network security controls beyond just software patching. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security layers such as network segmentation and enhanced monitoring to detect and prevent exploitation attempts.