CVE-2016-10669 in soci
Summary
by MITRE
soci downloads binary resources over HTTP, which leaves it vulnerable to MITM attacks. It may be possible to cause remote code execution (RCE) by swapping out the requested resources with an attacker controlled copy if the attacker is on the network or positioned in between the user and the remote server.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/14/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10669 resides within the soci software library, which is commonly used for database connectivity in C++ applications. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that stems from the library's practice of downloading binary resources over unencrypted HTTP connections rather than secure HTTPS protocols. The fundamental issue lies in the absence of cryptographic protection during resource transfer, creating an exploitable vector that adversaries can leverage to compromise system integrity.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests when soci attempts to fetch binary components or dependencies from remote servers using HTTP protocols. When network traffic traverses unsecured channels, attackers positioned within the network path or capable of performing man-in-the-middle attacks can intercept and manipulate the data flow. This weakness directly maps to CWE-319, which categorizes vulnerabilities related to cleartext transmission of sensitive information over networks, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1041 for data obfuscation and T1566 for phishing with malicious attachments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it creates potential pathways for remote code execution within affected systems. An attacker who successfully performs a man-in-the-middle attack can replace legitimate binary resources with malicious copies, effectively allowing for arbitrary code execution on systems where soci is deployed. This threat model particularly concerns environments where applications using soci connect to external resources, as the attack surface expands to include any network segment where such traffic flows.
Organizations utilizing soci libraries must implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability. The primary recommendation involves configuring soci to exclusively use HTTPS connections for all resource downloads, ensuring that cryptographic protection is maintained throughout the entire transfer process. Security measures should include network monitoring to detect unauthorized HTTP traffic, implementation of certificate pinning mechanisms, and regular security audits of all external dependencies. Additionally, system administrators should consider network segmentation and intrusion detection systems to identify and prevent man-in-the-middle attack attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure communication protocols in modern software development practices and highlights the necessity of adhering to security standards such as those outlined in NIST SP 800-52 for cryptographic key management and TLS implementation.