CVE-2017-18479 in cPanel
Summary
by MITRE
In cPanel before 62.0.4, WHM SSL certificate generation uses an unreserved e-mail address (SEC-209).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/21/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-18479 affects cPanel versions prior to 62.0.4 and specifically targets the WHM SSL certificate generation functionality. This issue stems from the improper handling of email addresses during certificate creation processes, creating a security weakness that could be exploited by malicious actors. The vulnerability was categorized as SEC-209 within cPanel's security advisory system, indicating its significance in the context of certificate management operations.
The technical flaw manifests in how cPanel's WHM interface processes email addresses when generating SSL certificates. The system fails to properly validate or sanitize email addresses, allowing for the inclusion of unreserved email addresses that may contain special characters or malformed entries. This weakness creates potential attack vectors where adversaries could manipulate certificate generation processes to include unintended email addresses or exploit the validation mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically affects the certificate authority validation process where email addresses serve as critical components in the certificate issuance workflow.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple certificate generation failures. Attackers could potentially exploit this weakness to manipulate certificate metadata, create fraudulent certificate requests, or gain unauthorized access to certificate management systems. The unreserved email address handling could enable privilege escalation attacks or allow for the creation of certificates that bypass normal validation checks. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations relying on cPanel's WHM interface for SSL certificate management, as it undermines the integrity of the certificate authority processes and could compromise the trust model of SSL/TLS communications.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to cPanel version 62.0.4 or later, which contains the necessary patches for this vulnerability. System administrators should also review existing SSL certificate configurations and validate all certificate requests to ensure no compromised certificates have been generated. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual certificate generation patterns or email address anomalies. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which addresses "Improper Input Validation," and could be mapped to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and certificate manipulation. Security teams should also consider implementing additional controls such as certificate pinning and enhanced email validation rules to prevent exploitation of this weakness in environments where immediate patching is not immediately possible.