CVE-2013-4545 in GlassFish Server
Summary
by MITRE
cURL and libcurl 7.18.0 through 7.32.0, when built with OpenSSL, disables the certificate CN and SAN name field verification (CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYHOST) when the digital signature verification (CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER) is disabled, 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 • 05/06/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-4545 affects cURL and libcurl versions ranging from 7.18.0 through 7.32.0 when configured to use OpenSSL for SSL/TLS operations. This flaw represents a critical security weakness in the certificate validation process that undermines fundamental SSL/TLS security mechanisms. The issue stems from improper handling of certificate verification parameters where the software fails to maintain proper validation controls even when one security layer is disabled.
The technical flaw occurs within the SSL verification logic of cURL's implementation where disabling the peer certificate verification through CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER also inadvertently disables the verification of certificate subject names including the Common Name and Subject Alternative Name fields. This creates a dangerous scenario where an attacker can present any valid certificate to establish a secure connection without proper host verification, effectively bypassing the primary mechanism that ensures clients are connecting to the intended server. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and affects any software that relies on cURL or libcurl for secure network communications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and directly enables man-in-the-middle attacks that can compromise the integrity of secure communications. Attackers can exploit this weakness to impersonate legitimate servers and intercept sensitive data transmitted over SSL/TLS connections. This affects web browsers, mobile applications, and server software that utilize cURL for HTTPS communications, potentially leading to data theft, session hijacking, and other cryptographic attacks. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates silently without alerting users or administrators to the compromised security state, making detection difficult.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-295 which describes "Improper Certificate Validation" and corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1573.001 for "Tunneling through Secure Protocol" where adversaries establish secure connections to bypass network security controls. The flaw also relates to CWE-310 which covers "Cryptographic Issues" and represents a failure in proper cryptographic implementation where security controls are not properly enforced. Organizations using affected versions of cURL or libcurl should immediately upgrade to versions 7.33.0 or later where this issue has been resolved. Additionally, system administrators should review their SSL/TLS configurations to ensure proper certificate validation is maintained even when peer verification is temporarily disabled for legitimate troubleshooting purposes.
The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining strict security controls even when individual components are temporarily disabled, as the failure to enforce proper validation can create exploitable gaps in the security architecture. This flaw emphasizes the need for comprehensive security testing of cryptographic implementations and proper understanding of how security parameters interact within complex software libraries. Organizations should implement regular security assessments of their software dependencies and maintain up-to-date vulnerability monitoring to prevent exploitation of similar issues in other components of their security infrastructure.