CVE-2019-9154 in OpenPGP.js
Summary
by MITRE
Improper Verification of a Cryptographic Signature in OpenPGP.js <=4.1.2 allows an attacker to pass off unsigned data as signed.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/01/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-9154 represents a critical flaw in the OpenPGP.js library version 4.1.2 and earlier, where the cryptographic signature verification process fails to properly validate the authenticity of signed data. This weakness stems from insufficient validation mechanisms that allow malicious actors to manipulate the signature verification flow, effectively enabling them to present unsigned data as if it were properly signed and authenticated. The issue resides in the library's handling of cryptographic operations within the OpenPGP standard implementation, specifically affecting how signature objects are processed and verified against the corresponding data.
This vulnerability directly impacts the fundamental security guarantees that OpenPGP encryption is designed to provide, creating a scenario where digital signatures can be bypassed without detection. The flaw allows attackers to craft malicious payloads that appear to be digitally signed when they are actually unsigned, undermining the integrity verification process that users rely upon to confirm data authenticity. The technical implementation error occurs during the signature validation phase where the system fails to properly enforce cryptographic signature requirements, potentially allowing forged signatures to pass validation checks. This represents a failure in the cryptographic protocol implementation that violates core security assumptions about data integrity and authentication.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data integrity concerns, as it can enable sophisticated attacks including man-in-the-middle scenarios, data tampering operations, and authentication bypass attempts. An attacker could exploit this weakness to inject malicious content into systems that trust OpenPGP.js for signature verification, potentially compromising sensitive communications and data exchanges. The vulnerability affects any application or system that relies on OpenPGP.js for cryptographic signature validation, making it particularly dangerous in environments where trust and authentication are paramount. This flaw essentially creates a backdoor for attackers to circumvent security controls that depend on cryptographic signatures for verification purposes.
Organizations utilizing OpenPGP.js versions prior to 4.1.3 should immediately implement mitigation strategies including updating to the patched version, implementing additional validation layers, and reviewing existing cryptographic workflows for potential exploitation. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-322, which addresses weaknesses in key management and cryptographic operations, and may be exploited through techniques consistent with attack patterns described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the credential access and defense evasion domains. Security teams should conduct comprehensive audits of all systems using this library to identify potential exploitation vectors and implement layered security controls to protect against signature forgery attacks. The remediation process requires not only updating the library but also validating existing cryptographic operations and ensuring that all signature verification processes properly enforce cryptographic integrity checks.