CVE-2019-14959 in ToolBox
Summary
by MITRE
JetBrains Toolbox before 1.15.5605 was resolving an internal URL via a cleartext http connection.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/20/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-14959 affects JetBrains Toolbox versions prior to 1.15.5605, representing a significant security weakness in the application's network communication handling. This flaw specifically involves the application's improper resolution of internal URLs through cleartext http connections rather than secure https protocols. The issue stems from the application's failure to implement proper encryption for internal communications, creating potential attack vectors that could compromise the integrity and confidentiality of data transmitted between the toolbox application and its internal services.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability lies in the application's network stack configuration where internal URL resolution occurs without proper transport layer security enforcement. When JetBrains Toolbox attempts to access internal resources, it defaults to using http instead of https protocols, exposing sensitive communication channels to potential interception and manipulation. This design flaw allows attackers positioned within the network to perform man-in-the-middle attacks, potentially capturing or modifying data transmitted between the toolbox application and its internal components. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-319, which addresses the exposure of sensitive information through cleartext transmission, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1041 where adversaries use unencrypted network protocols to exfiltrate data or manipulate communications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it creates opportunities for attackers to manipulate the toolbox's internal functionality and potentially compromise the broader development environment. Attackers could exploit this weakness to inject malicious content into internal communications, redirect the application to malicious endpoints, or capture authentication tokens and other sensitive information. The cleartext nature of the communication means that any data exchanged through these internal URLs remains vulnerable to eavesdropping, session hijacking, and protocol-level attacks. This vulnerability particularly affects users within environments where network security controls may not be sufficient to prevent internal network attacks, making the impact more pronounced in corporate or development environments where multiple applications and services communicate internally.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-14959 require immediate application updates to version 1.15.5605 or later, which implements proper https protocol enforcement for internal URL resolution. Organizations should also implement network monitoring to detect and alert on cleartext http traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additional defensive measures include enforcing network segmentation to limit internal communication paths, implementing network access controls to restrict unauthorized access to internal services, and conducting regular security assessments to identify similar configuration flaws in other applications. The fix addresses the core issue by ensuring all internal URL resolution occurs through encrypted channels, thereby protecting against the specific attack vectors enabled by cleartext http communications and aligning with security best practices for internal network communications.