CVE-2014-3577 in Financial Services Revenue Management
Summary
by MITRE
org.apache.http.conn.ssl.AbstractVerifier in Apache HttpComponents HttpClient before 4.3.5 and HttpAsyncClient before 4.0.2 does not properly verify that the server hostname matches a domain name in the subject's Common Name (CN) or subjectAltName field of the X.509 certificate, which allows man-in-the-middle attackers to spoof SSL servers via a "CN=" string in a field in the distinguished name (DN) of a certificate, as demonstrated by the "foo,CN=www.apache.org" string in the O field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/10/2023
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-3577 represents a critical SSL certificate validation flaw within the Apache HttpComponents HttpClient library ecosystem. This issue affects versions prior to 4.3.5 for HttpClient and 4.0.2 for HttpAsyncClient, exposing applications that rely on these components to significant security risks. The flaw stems from improper hostname verification during SSL/TLS connections, specifically in how the library processes X.509 certificates presented by servers. The vulnerability allows attackers to bypass certificate validation by crafting malicious certificates that exploit the way the library interprets certificate fields, particularly the Common Name field within the distinguished name structure.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the implementation of hostname verification logic within the AbstractVerifier class of the Apache HttpClient library. According to the CWE-295 vulnerability classification, this represents a weakness in certificate validation where the system fails to properly verify that the certificate is valid for the intended host. The flaw specifically manifests when the library processes certificate subject fields, particularly when the Common Name field contains unexpected formatting or when the certificate structure includes multiple components that could be misinterpreted. The vulnerability demonstrates how a maliciously crafted certificate could contain a CN field that appears to match the expected hostname, but through improper parsing, the library accepts it as valid. This allows attackers to create certificates where the Common Name field includes a domain name in a format that bypasses normal validation checks, such as the example provided where "foo,CN=www.apache.org" in the O field could be misinterpreted.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-3577 is severe and far-reaching, as it fundamentally undermines the security assurances provided by SSL/TLS connections. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to perform man-in-the-middle attacks against applications using affected HttpClient versions, potentially intercepting sensitive data, modifying communications, or redirecting traffic to malicious endpoints. The vulnerability particularly affects web applications, mobile applications, and enterprise systems that rely on HTTP client libraries for secure communications with external services. Organizations using vulnerable versions of Apache HttpClient could experience data breaches, credential theft, and unauthorized access to protected systems. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it can be executed without requiring sophisticated techniques, as the vulnerability exists in the fundamental certificate validation logic rather than requiring complex exploitation methods. This makes the vulnerability highly attractive to attackers and increases the potential for widespread compromise across systems using affected library versions.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to Apache HttpClient 4.3.5 or later versions, and HttpAsyncClient 4.0.2 or later to remediate this vulnerability. The upgrade process should be comprehensive, ensuring all applications and dependencies that use the affected libraries are updated to prevent exploitation. Additionally, security teams should conduct thorough audits of their systems to identify any applications still using vulnerable versions of the library. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts, as the vulnerability could be used to establish persistent backdoors or maintain access to compromised systems. The remediation process should include updating not only the primary library but also any third-party components that might be using the vulnerable HttpClient functionality. Security configurations should be reviewed to ensure that certificate validation is properly enforced, and organizations should consider implementing certificate pinning mechanisms as an additional layer of protection against this specific class of vulnerability. This vulnerability highlights the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security libraries and demonstrates how seemingly minor certificate validation flaws can have significant security implications across enterprise networks.