CVE-2014-8650 in python-requests-Kerberos
Summary
by MITRE
python-requests-Kerberos through 0.5 does not handle mutual authentication
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/09/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-8650 affects the python-requests-Kerberos library version 0.5 and earlier, representing a critical flaw in the implementation of Kerberos authentication mechanisms within Python applications. This issue stems from the library's failure to properly handle mutual authentication, which is a fundamental security feature of the Kerberos protocol designed to ensure that both the client and server are authenticated to each other. The vulnerability specifically impacts applications that rely on the requests library for HTTP communications and use Kerberos authentication for securing network transactions.
The technical flaw manifests when the python-requests-Kerberos library processes Kerberos authentication responses without verifying that the server has successfully authenticated the client. In a proper Kerberos mutual authentication scenario, the server should provide a ticket that confirms its identity to the client, ensuring that the client is communicating with the legitimate server rather than an imposter. When mutual authentication is disabled or improperly handled, the client may establish a connection with a malicious server that has not been properly authenticated, creating a potential man-in-the-middle attack vector. This weakness directly violates the security principles outlined in the Kerberos authentication protocol specification and can be categorized under CWE-310 as "Cryptographic Issues" with specific implications for authentication mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple authentication failures, as it can enable attackers to perform credential harvesting, session hijacking, and unauthorized access to protected resources. Applications using vulnerable versions of python-requests-Kerberos may be susceptible to attacks where malicious actors intercept network traffic and present forged server credentials, potentially gaining access to sensitive data or system resources. This vulnerability particularly affects enterprise environments that rely on Kerberos for single sign-on implementations, cloud services, and any infrastructure requiring secure HTTP communications with mutual authentication requirements. The attack surface is broad as it impacts any Python application that utilizes the requests library for HTTP communications and employs Kerberos authentication, making it a significant concern for organizations with extensive Python-based infrastructure.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability involve immediate upgrading to python-requests-Kerberos version 0.6 or later, which includes proper mutual authentication handling. Organizations should also implement network monitoring to detect potential man-in-the-middle attacks and ensure that their Kerberos implementations are configured to enforce mutual authentication. The remediation process should include thorough testing of applications to verify that the updated library functions correctly with existing authentication flows. Additionally, security teams should review their overall authentication strategies and consider implementing additional security layers such as certificate pinning or additional network segmentation to reduce the attack surface. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1550.003 for use of Kerberos and demonstrates the importance of proper cryptographic implementation in authentication libraries, as highlighted in various security frameworks and standards including NIST SP 800-63B for authentication management.