CVE-2019-3728 in RSA BSAFE Micro Edition Suite
Summary
by MITRE
RSA BSAFE Crypto-C Micro Edition versions from 4.0.0.0 before 4.0.5.4 and from 4.1.0 before 4.1.4, RSA BSAFE Micro Edition Suite versions from 4.0.0 before 4.0.13 and from 4.1.0 before 4.4 and RSA Crypto-C versions from 6.0.0 through 6.4.* are vulnerable to an out-of-bounds read vulnerability when processing DSA signature. A malicious remote user could potentially exploit this vulnerability to cause a crash in the library of the affected system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/03/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-3728 represents a critical out-of-bounds read flaw within RSA BSAFE cryptographic libraries, specifically affecting multiple versions of the BSAFE Crypto-C Micro Edition and BSAFE Micro Edition Suite products. This vulnerability resides in the DSA signature processing functionality where the library fails to properly validate input parameters before accessing memory regions, creating an exploitable condition that can lead to system instability. The affected versions span across major releases including BSAFE Crypto-C Micro Edition 4.0.0.0 through 4.0.5.3 and 4.1.0 through 4.1.3, alongside BSAFE Micro Edition Suite versions 4.0.0 through 4.0.12 and 4.1.0 through 4.3, as well as RSA Crypto-C versions 6.0.0 through 6.4.*. The flaw manifests when the cryptographic library processes DSA signatures, which are fundamental components of digital signature algorithms used for authentication and data integrity verification in secure communications.
The technical nature of this vulnerability places it squarely within the CWE-125 category of out-of-bounds read conditions, where the software reads memory beyond the intended buffer boundaries. This type of vulnerability typically occurs when input validation is insufficient or absent during cryptographic processing, allowing malicious actors to craft specially crafted DSA signatures that trigger memory access violations. The implementation flaw specifically affects how the library handles signature verification routines, where the code does not properly bounds-check array indices or buffer sizes before performing memory reads. This oversight creates a path where an attacker can manipulate the input signature data to cause the application to access memory locations outside the allocated buffer space, potentially leading to memory corruption and system crashes. The vulnerability's exploitation requires remote access capability as the malicious user can send crafted DSA signatures through network connections that utilize the affected cryptographic libraries.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-3728 extends beyond simple system crashes to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks within the context of the broader attack surface. When exploited, this vulnerability can cause denial of service conditions that disrupt legitimate cryptographic operations, affecting authentication mechanisms, secure communications, and digital signature validation processes. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can target systems without physical access, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where cryptographic libraries are widely deployed. Systems utilizing affected RSA BSAFE libraries for secure communications, certificate validation, or digital signature processing face significant risk, as the crash condition can be triggered during normal cryptographic operations. This vulnerability directly impacts the availability and integrity of security services, potentially allowing attackers to disrupt secure operations while maintaining their ability to perform further attacks against the compromised systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-3728 require immediate patching of affected systems with the vendor-provided updates that address the bounds-checking issues in the DSA signature processing code. Organizations should prioritize updating all systems running RSA BSAFE Crypto-C Micro Edition 4.0.0.0 through 4.0.5.3 and 4.1.0 through 4.1.3, BSAFE Micro Edition Suite 4.0.0 through 4.0.12 and 4.1.0 through 4.3, and RSA Crypto-C 6.0.0 through 6.4.* versions. The patch implementations typically involve strengthening input validation routines and adding proper bounds-checking mechanisms to prevent memory access violations during DSA signature processing. Security teams should also implement monitoring and logging of cryptographic operations to detect potential exploitation attempts, while network segmentation can help limit the attack surface. Additionally, organizations should review their cryptographic library usage patterns and consider alternative implementations or libraries that have demonstrated stronger security practices in handling cryptographic operations. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1552.004 for unsecured credentials and T1499.004 for endpoint denial of service indicates its potential to serve as a vector for both service disruption and credential compromise in broader attack scenarios, making comprehensive remediation essential for maintaining overall security posture.