CVE-2014-8164 in CloudForms
Summary
by MITRE • 07/07/2022
A insecure configuration for certificate verification (http.verify_mode = OpenSSL::SSL::VERIFY_NONE) may lead to verification bypass in Red Hat CloudForms 5.x.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/19/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-8164 represents a critical security flaw in Red Hat CloudForms 5.x platforms where insecure certificate verification configuration creates a pathway for man-in-the-middle attacks. This issue stems from the explicit disabling of SSL certificate validation through the setting http.verify_mode = OpenSSL::SSL::VERIFY_NONE, which effectively removes all cryptographic verification mechanisms that should ensure the authenticity and integrity of secure communications. The flaw exists within the application's network security configuration and directly undermines the fundamental security principles of TLS/SSL protocols that are designed to protect data integrity and authentication between systems.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs at the application layer where the CloudForms platform fails to properly validate SSL certificates during HTTPS communications. When http.verify_mode is set to OpenSSL::SSL::VERIFY_NONE, the system accepts any certificate presented by the remote server without performing the necessary checks against trusted certificate authorities. This configuration bypasses the standard certificate chain validation process that should verify the certificate's signature, expiration date, and whether it was issued by a trusted authority. The vulnerability falls under CWE-295 which specifically addresses improper certificate validation, and represents a direct violation of security best practices outlined in NIST SP 800-57 and RFC 5280 standards for certificate validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and potentially catastrophic for organizations relying on Red Hat CloudForms 5.x for their cloud infrastructure management. Attackers can exploit this weakness to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting fake certificates to intercept and potentially modify communications between the CloudForms management interface and backend systems. This creates opportunities for credential theft, data exfiltration, and unauthorized access to cloud resources. The vulnerability affects the integrity of all HTTPS communications within the platform, potentially allowing attackers to compromise the entire CloudForms management domain. According to ATT&CK framework technique T1046, this represents a network service enumeration and attack surface expansion opportunity, while T1566 focuses on the credential access and data theft that becomes possible through such certificate validation bypasses.
Organizations should immediately address this vulnerability by implementing proper certificate verification configuration throughout their CloudForms environments. The recommended mitigation involves setting http.verify_mode to OpenSSL::SSL::VERIFY_PEER or higher levels of verification, ensuring that all certificates are validated against trusted certificate authorities. System administrators must also implement certificate management procedures to maintain valid and up-to-date certificate stores. Additional protective measures include monitoring for unauthorized certificate changes, implementing network segmentation to limit exposure, and conducting regular security audits of SSL/TLS configurations. The remediation should follow NIST guidelines for secure configuration management and ensure that all communications within the CloudForms environment maintain proper cryptographic validation. Organizations should also consider implementing automated certificate monitoring tools to detect and alert on any attempts to modify certificate verification settings, as this vulnerability represents a persistent risk when left unaddressed.