CVE-2016-9575 in Ipa
Summary
by MITRE
Ipa before version 4.4.0-14 did not properly check the user's permissions while modifying certificate profiles in IdM's certprofile-mod command. An authenticated, unprivileged attacker could use this flaw to modify profiles to issue certificates with arbitrary naming or key usage information and subsequently use such certificates for other attacks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/12/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-9575 affects Ipa versions prior to 4.4.0-14 and represents a critical authorization bypass flaw within the Identity Management (IdM) system's certificate profile modification functionality. This issue stems from inadequate permission validation mechanisms within the certprofile-mod command, which is designed to manage certificate profiles used for issuing digital certificates. The flaw exists in the authentication and authorization framework where the system fails to properly verify whether an authenticated user possesses the necessary privileges to modify certificate profiles, creating a pathway for unauthorized modifications that can fundamentally compromise the security posture of the certificate management infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows an attacker to exploit the missing permission checks by leveraging the certprofile-mod command to alter certificate profile configurations without proper authorization. This flaw operates at the privilege escalation level, where an unprivileged user who has authenticated to the system can manipulate certificate profile parameters to include arbitrary naming conventions and key usage attributes. The underlying issue manifests as a failure in the access control validation process, where the system does not adequately enforce role-based access controls or privilege levels when processing modification requests for certificate profiles. This represents a classic example of insufficient authorization checks that aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization vulnerabilities in software systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond the immediate certificate profile modification capabilities, as it enables attackers to generate certificates with malicious configurations that can be used for various advanced attack vectors. An attacker could modify certificate profiles to issue certificates with arbitrary subject names, key usage extensions, or other certificate attributes that would normally require elevated privileges to create. This capability allows for the generation of certificates that could bypass security controls, impersonate legitimate systems, or facilitate man-in-the-middle attacks within the organization's network infrastructure. The compromised certificate profiles could be used to create certificates that appear legitimate to systems relying on the certificate authority, potentially enabling privilege escalation, lateral movement, or data exfiltration attacks.
The security implications of this vulnerability are particularly severe in enterprise environments where certificate-based authentication and authorization systems form the foundation of network security. Attackers could exploit this flaw to create certificates that mimic trusted services or systems, effectively undermining the trust model that certificate authorities are designed to maintain. This vulnerability directly impacts the integrity and confidentiality of the certificate management infrastructure, as it allows unauthorized modification of the certificate issuance policies that govern how certificates are generated and validated within the system. Organizations utilizing Ipa for identity management and certificate issuance would face significant risks including potential certificate forgery, unauthorized access to protected resources, and compromise of the entire certificate-based security ecosystem.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-9575 require immediate implementation of the vendor-provided patch for Ipa version 4.4.0-14 or later, which addresses the insufficient permission checking in the certprofile-mod command. Organizations should also implement additional monitoring of certificate profile modification activities to detect unauthorized changes to certificate configurations, as this vulnerability could enable attackers to establish persistent access through manipulated certificate profiles. Network segmentation and privilege separation should be reinforced to limit the potential impact of any successful exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include comprehensive review of existing certificate profiles to identify any unauthorized modifications that may have occurred prior to patch deployment, along with implementation of automated monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous certificate profile changes. Security teams should also consider implementing principle of least privilege controls for certificate management operations and ensure that access controls are properly enforced for all certificate profile modification activities to prevent similar authorization bypass vulnerabilities from occurring in other components of the identity management system.