CVE-2018-12499 in MBP853
Summary
by MITRE
The Motorola MBP853 firmware does not correctly validate server certificates. This allows for a Man in The Middle (MiTM) attack to take place between a Motorola MBP853 camera and the servers it communicates with. In one such instance, it was identified that the device was downloading what appeared to be a client certificate.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/23/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-12499 affects the Motorola MBP853 firmware and represents a critical security flaw in the certificate validation process that enables man-in-the-middle attacks. This device, designed as a security camera system, fails to properly validate server certificates during its communication with backend servers, creating a significant gap in its cryptographic security posture. The issue manifests when the device establishes connections to remote servers, as it does not adequately verify the authenticity and integrity of the server certificates presented during the TLS handshake process. This weakness directly violates fundamental security principles that require robust certificate validation to prevent unauthorized parties from intercepting or manipulating communications between the device and its intended servers.
The technical flaw in the Motorola MBP853 firmware stems from inadequate certificate validation mechanisms that should be implemented according to industry standards such as those defined in the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol specifications. When the device attempts to download what appears to be a client certificate, the absence of proper certificate validation creates an opportunity for attackers to perform MiTM attacks by presenting forged certificates that the device accepts as legitimate. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation, and represents a failure to implement proper certificate pinning or trust validation procedures. The device's inability to verify certificate chains, check certificate expiration dates, or validate certificate signatures leaves it susceptible to attacks that can compromise the entire communication channel between the camera and its servers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it fundamentally undermines the security model of the Motorola MBP853 camera system. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can not only eavesdrop on communications but also potentially gain access to sensitive video feeds, configuration data, and authentication credentials that may be transmitted between the device and its servers. The risk is particularly concerning given that security cameras typically operate in environments where unauthorized access could lead to privacy violations, physical security breaches, or corporate espionage. The device's behavior of downloading what appears to be a client certificate suggests that it may be designed to establish mutual authentication with servers, making the absence of proper certificate validation even more critical. This vulnerability can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1046, which covers network service scanning, and T1566, which addresses credential harvesting through social engineering, as attackers may use this weakness to establish persistent access to the camera network.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements to the device's security implementation. Organizations should immediately implement network-level protections such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor for unusual certificate-related traffic patterns, while also ensuring that any firmware updates are applied promptly when available from Motorola. The device should be configured to enforce strict certificate validation policies, including certificate pinning where appropriate, and network segmentation should be implemented to limit the potential impact of a successful attack. Additionally, regular security audits should be conducted to verify that certificate validation mechanisms are functioning correctly and that no unauthorized certificate authorities are trusted by the device. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of implementing proper certificate validation as outlined in NIST Special Publication 800-57 and ISO/IEC 15408, which emphasize the necessity of robust cryptographic implementations in security devices to prevent the exploitation of weaknesses that could compromise entire network infrastructures.