CVE-2017-7322 in Revolution
Summary
by MITRE
The (1) update and (2) package-installation features in MODX Revolution 2.5.4-pl and earlier do not verify X.509 certificates from SSL servers, which allows man-in-the-middle attackers to spoof servers and trigger the execution of arbitrary code via a crafted certificate.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/24/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-7322 affects MODX Revolution versions 2.5.4-pl and earlier, specifically targeting the update and package installation functionalities. This represents a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of the software's secure communication mechanisms. The vulnerability stems from the absence of X.509 certificate verification during SSL connections, creating a pathway for malicious actors to execute man-in-the-middle attacks against legitimate users.
This weakness fundamentally compromises the trust model that secure software updates rely upon. When MODX attempts to download updates or install packages from remote servers, it fails to validate the authenticity of the SSL certificates presented by those servers. The absence of certificate verification means that attackers can establish fraudulent connections that appear legitimate to the client software, enabling them to intercept communications and inject malicious payloads. This flaw directly violates security principles established in industry standards such as CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for execution through command injection.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables arbitrary code execution on affected systems. Attackers can craft malicious certificates that appear to be from legitimate MODX update servers, allowing them to deliver malware or backdoors through the normal update process. This creates a particularly dangerous scenario because users typically trust the update mechanism as a secure channel for software maintenance. The vulnerability affects not just individual installations but entire deployment environments where multiple MODX instances might be managed centrally, potentially enabling attackers to compromise entire organizations through a single compromised update server.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to MODX Revolution versions that address this vulnerability, which typically involves implementing proper SSL certificate validation mechanisms. Network-level protections such as SSL inspection and certificate pinning can provide additional defense in depth. System administrators should also monitor for unauthorized certificate installations and implement strict access controls around update mechanisms. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of certificate validation in secure software architecture and highlights how seemingly minor implementation flaws can create significant attack vectors. Security teams should also consider implementing automated vulnerability scanning to detect similar issues in other software components that may be susceptible to man-in-the-middle attacks.