CVE-2017-2782 in MatrixSSL
Summary
by MITRE
An integer overflow vulnerability exists in the X509 certificate parsing functionality of InsideSecure MatrixSSL 3.8.7b. A specially crafted x509 certificate can cause a length counter to overflow, leading to a controlled out of bounds copy operation. To trigger this vulnerability, a specially crafted x509 certificate must be presented to the vulnerable client or server application when initiating secure connection
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/08/2022
The integer overflow vulnerability identified in CVE-2017-2782 resides within the X509 certificate parsing implementation of InsideSecure MatrixSSL version 3.8.7b, representing a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of secure communication protocols. This vulnerability stems from improper handling of length counters during certificate processing, specifically when parsing X509 certificates that contain maliciously crafted data structures. The flaw manifests when an attacker constructs a certificate with manipulated length fields that, when processed by the vulnerable SSL/TLS implementation, cause arithmetic overflow conditions in the internal counter variables used to track certificate component sizes. Such overflow conditions result in subsequent memory operations that exceed allocated buffer boundaries, creating opportunities for memory corruption and potential code execution.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a well-defined pattern that aligns with common software security attack vectors. When a client or server application using MatrixSSL 3.8.7b encounters a specially crafted X509 certificate during the SSL/TLS handshake process, the parsing routine fails to properly validate the length parameters of certificate fields. The integer overflow occurs during the calculation of buffer sizes needed to store certificate data, causing the length counter to wrap around to a small positive value or zero. This controlled overflow enables an attacker to manipulate memory layout and potentially overwrite adjacent memory regions, leading to unpredictable behavior including application crashes, memory corruption, or in some cases, arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability specifically affects the X509 certificate parsing functionality as defined by the X.509 standard, which is fundamental to public key infrastructure and secure communications protocols.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-2782 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it presents a significant threat to the confidentiality and integrity of secure communications. Any application that relies on MatrixSSL 3.8.7b for SSL/TLS functionality becomes vulnerable to remote exploitation when processing untrusted X509 certificates, including web servers, email servers, and any network services implementing secure communication protocols. The vulnerability's trigger mechanism requires only the presentation of a malicious certificate during normal SSL/TLS handshake initiation, making it particularly dangerous in environments where certificate validation is performed automatically without proper sanitization. This flaw creates opportunities for man-in-the-middle attacks, certificate forgery scenarios, and potential privilege escalation within systems that trust the vulnerable SSL/TLS implementation. The vulnerability affects both client and server implementations, meaning that any system using this version of MatrixSSL could be compromised when processing certificates from untrusted sources.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-2782 should prioritize immediate software updates to versions that address the integer overflow condition in the X509 certificate parsing routine. Organizations should implement certificate validation policies that include thorough sanitization of certificate data before processing, particularly for certificates received from external sources. Network segmentation and monitoring systems should be deployed to detect unusual certificate exchange patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and integer overflow protection mechanisms, which aligns with established security practices outlined in CWE-190, which specifically addresses integer overflow conditions. Additionally, implementing runtime protections such as stack canaries, address space layout randomization, and data execution prevention can provide additional defense-in-depth measures against exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing certificate pinning mechanisms to reduce the attack surface when dealing with potentially compromised certificate authorities, as this vulnerability could be leveraged to bypass traditional certificate validation checks. The remediation process requires careful testing of updated software versions to ensure that the fix does not introduce regressions in legitimate certificate processing while maintaining the security posture of the affected systems.