CVE-2017-17428 in Nitrox SSL
Summary
by MITRE
Cavium Nitrox SSL, Nitrox V SSL, and TurboSSL software development kits (SDKs) allow remote attackers to decrypt TLS ciphertext data by leveraging a Bleichenbacher RSA padding oracle, aka a ROBOT attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/26/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-17428 affects Cavium Nitrox SSL, Nitrox V SSL, and TurboSSL software development kits, representing a critical security flaw that enables remote attackers to decrypt TLS ciphertext data through exploitation of a Bleichenbacher RSA padding oracle vulnerability. This weakness stems from improper implementation of RSA padding validation within the cryptographic libraries used by these SDKs, creating a cryptographic oracle that reveals information about the validity of RSA padding schemes. The vulnerability specifically targets the implementation of RSA decryption operations where the system provides distinguishable responses based on whether the RSA padding is valid or invalid, allowing attackers to perform adaptive chosen ciphertext attacks.
The technical flaw manifests in the cryptographic implementation where the SDKs fail to properly handle RSA padding validation errors, creating a timing or response-based oracle that can be exploited through systematic probing of encrypted data. When an attacker submits carefully crafted ciphertext to the vulnerable system, the system's response varies depending on whether the RSA padding conforms to the expected PKCS#1 v1.5 standard. This oracle allows the attacker to iteratively determine the plaintext content by using the padding validation responses to guide their decryption attempts, effectively bypassing the security guarantees provided by TLS encryption. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-327, which addresses the use of weak or broken cryptographic algorithms and implementations, specifically targeting the improper implementation of cryptographic padding schemes that are fundamental to RSA security.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows attackers to decrypt sensitive data transmitted over TLS connections without requiring access to the corresponding private keys. This capability undermines the core security assumptions of TLS encryption, enabling man-in-the-middle attacks, data interception, and potential compromise of confidential communications. The vulnerability affects systems that rely on Cavium's Nitrox and TurboSSL SDKs for SSL/TLS implementation, potentially impacting network security appliances, embedded systems, and cryptographic hardware that utilize these components. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to access sensitive information including user credentials, personal data, financial transactions, and proprietary communications, making it particularly dangerous for organizations handling regulated data or sensitive communications.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-17428 involve immediate patching of affected SDK versions and implementation of proper cryptographic padding validation that does not provide distinguishable responses based on padding validity. Organizations should ensure that all instances of the affected Cavium SDKs are updated to versions that address the RSA padding oracle vulnerability, typically through firmware or software updates provided by Cavium. The implementation should incorporate constant-time cryptographic operations that do not vary response times or error messages based on padding validation results. Security teams should also consider implementing additional monitoring and detection mechanisms to identify potential exploitation attempts, while organizations using these SDKs should review their cryptographic implementations against the ATT&CK framework's cryptographic operations and credential access techniques, particularly focusing on the use of padding oracles as an initial access vector for advanced persistent threats.