CVE-2019-18632 in eIDAS-Node Integration Package
Summary
by MITRE
European Commission eIDAS-Node Integration Package before 2.3.1 allows Certificate Faking because an attacker can sign a manipulated SAML response with a forged certificate.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/01/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-18632 affects the European Commission eIDAS-Node Integration Package version 2.3.0 and earlier, representing a critical authentication flaw that undermines the security of digital identity verification systems. This vulnerability stems from insufficient certificate validation mechanisms within the SAML response processing framework, creating a pathway for malicious actors to compromise the integrity of authentication flows. The issue specifically manifests when the system fails to properly verify the authenticity of certificates used to sign SAML responses, allowing attackers to manipulate authentication exchanges through forged digital signatures. This weakness directly impacts the trust model that underpins secure identity verification processes across European digital infrastructure.
The technical implementation flaw resides in the certificate validation process where the system accepts manipulated SAML responses without proper cryptographic verification of the signing certificate chain. Attackers can exploit this by generating forged certificates that appear legitimate within the system's trust boundaries, enabling them to create malicious SAML responses that bypass authentication checks. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of cryptographic protocol implementation and identity management, where the absence of robust certificate validation leads to certificate faking capabilities. This issue is categorized under CWE-330 Use of Insufficiently Random Values, as the system's certificate validation mechanism fails to properly authenticate the cryptographic signatures used in SAML responses, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1556.200 for credential manipulation through forged certificates.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple authentication bypass to potentially compromise entire digital identity ecosystems that rely on the eIDAS framework for cross-border identity verification. Organizations using affected versions of the eIDAS-Node Integration Package face risks including unauthorized access to protected systems, data breaches through forged authentication tokens, and potential compromise of sensitive citizen identity information. The vulnerability affects systems that depend on SAML-based single sign-on implementations, particularly those integrated with European digital identity infrastructure where trust relationships are established through certificate-based authentication. Attackers can leverage this weakness to impersonate legitimate users or systems, undermining the foundational trust model that eIDAS aims to establish across European Union member states.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-18632 require immediate deployment of version 2.3.1 or later of the eIDAS-Node Integration Package, which includes enhanced certificate validation mechanisms and improved SAML response processing. Organizations should implement additional monitoring for suspicious authentication patterns and ensure proper certificate revocation checking procedures are in place. Security teams must verify that all certificate validation processes properly check certificate chains, expiration dates, and trust relationships before accepting SAML responses. The fix addresses the core cryptographic validation weakness by implementing stronger certificate verification routines that prevent forged certificates from being accepted in authentication flows, thereby restoring the integrity of the identity verification process. System administrators should also conduct comprehensive audits of all SAML-based authentication systems to identify potential additional vulnerabilities in related components that might be susceptible to similar certificate manipulation attacks.