CVE-2018-6653 in SWAP
Summary
by MITRE
comforte SWAP 1049 through 1069 and 20.0.0 through 21.5.3 (as used on HPE NonStop systems and in the comforte SecurCS, SecurFTP, SecurLib/SSL-AT, and SecurTN products), after executing the RELOAD CERTIFICATES command, does not ensure that clients use a strong TLS cipher suite, which makes it easier for remote attackers to defeat intended cryptographic protection mechanisms by sniffing the network. This is fixed in 21.6.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/09/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-6653 affects comforte SWAP versions ranging from 1049 through 1069 and 20.0.0 through 21.5.3, which are deployed on HPE NonStop systems and integrated within comforte SecurCS, SecurFTP, SecurLib/SSL-AT, and SecurTN products. This issue represents a significant weakness in the cryptographic implementation where the system fails to enforce strong TLS cipher suites even after executing the RELOAD CERTIFICATES command. The flaw creates a persistent security gap that undermines the intended cryptographic protection mechanisms designed to secure network communications.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper handling of TLS cipher suite selection within the comforte SWAP implementation. When administrators execute the RELOAD CERTIFICATES command, which should refresh and update the cryptographic parameters for secure communications, the system fails to properly validate or enforce the use of strong cipher suites. This behavior allows remote attackers to intercept network traffic and potentially downgrade the encryption strength, effectively bypassing the cryptographic protections that should be in place. The vulnerability specifically impacts the TLS protocol implementation where weak cipher suites may continue to be accepted or preferred even after certificate reload operations.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-6653 extends beyond simple network sniffing capabilities as it fundamentally weakens the security posture of systems relying on these comforte products. Attackers can exploit this weakness to perform man-in-the-middle attacks, decrypt intercepted communications, and potentially access sensitive data transmitted over the network. The vulnerability affects critical infrastructure components within HPE NonStop environments where secure communications are paramount for system integrity and data protection. Organizations utilizing these products face increased risk of data breaches, unauthorized access attempts, and potential compromise of sensitive information flowing through the affected systems.
The mitigation for CVE-2018-6653 requires immediate deployment of comforte SWAP version 21.6.0, which addresses the improper TLS cipher suite enforcement issue. System administrators should verify that all affected systems have been updated to the patched version and conduct thorough testing to ensure that the RELOAD CERTIFICATES command properly enforces strong TLS cipher suites. Additional security measures should include monitoring network traffic for unusual cipher suite selections and implementing network segmentation to limit the potential impact of any successful exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-327, which addresses the use of weak cryptographic algorithms, and represents a significant concern within the ATT&CK framework under the T1046 technique for network service scanning and T1566 for credential access through network sniffing activities. Organizations should also consider implementing additional monitoring and logging controls to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain compliance with security standards such as NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001 requirements for cryptographic controls.