CVE-2013-6396 in Swift
Summary
by MITRE
The OpenStack Python client library for Swift (python-swiftclient) 1.0 through 1.9.0 does not verify X.509 certificates from SSL servers, which allows man-in-the-middle attackers to spoof servers and obtain sensitive information via a crafted certificate.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/23/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-6396 affects the OpenStack Python client library for Swift known as python-swiftclient version 1.0 through 1.9.0. This issue represents a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of secure communications between client applications and OpenStack Swift storage services. The vulnerability stems from the library's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack surface that malicious actors can exploit to compromise the security of cloud storage operations.
The technical flaw manifests in the library's implementation of SSL certificate validation mechanisms where it fails to perform proper certificate verification against trusted certificate authorities. This omission allows attackers to establish man-in-the-middle positions by presenting forged certificates that appear legitimate to the client application. The vulnerability specifically affects the SSL/TLS handshake process where the python-swiftclient library accepts any certificate without validating its authenticity, trust chain, or cryptographic integrity. This weakness directly violates fundamental security principles of certificate-based authentication and enables attackers to intercept, modify, or steal sensitive data transmitted between clients and Swift storage endpoints.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft to encompass complete compromise of cloud storage security models. Attackers can exploit this flaw to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information stored in OpenStack Swift environments, including user data, application credentials, and potentially system configuration details. The vulnerability affects organizations using OpenStack cloud infrastructures where the python-swiftclient library is employed for storage operations, potentially exposing entire cloud storage ecosystems to unauthorized access. Given that Swift is commonly used for object storage in cloud environments, this vulnerability could enable attackers to access critical business data, user information, and system resources that are typically protected by SSL/TLS encryption.
Organizations utilizing affected versions of the python-swiftclient library should immediately implement mitigations to address this vulnerability. The primary remediation involves upgrading to versions of the library that properly implement SSL certificate validation, typically versions 2.0.0 and later which include proper certificate verification mechanisms. Additionally, system administrators should ensure that all certificate validation settings are properly configured to enforce strict certificate chain validation and that certificate authorities are properly maintained. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-295 which specifically addresses improper certificate validation and relates to ATT&CK technique T1046 for network service scanning and T1566 for credential harvesting through man-in-the-middle attacks. Security teams should also implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and consider implementing additional security controls such as certificate pinning for critical storage endpoints to provide defense-in-depth against this type of attack vector.