CVE-2021-3003 in Desktop Telematico
Summary
by MITRE • 05/10/2021
Agenzia delle Entrate Desktop Telematico 1.0.0 contacts the jws.agenziaentrate.it server over cleartext HTTP, which allows man-in-the-middle attackers to spoof product updates.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/13/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-3003 affects the Agenzia delle Entrate Desktop Telematico version 1.0.0 software used by the Italian tax authority for electronic tax filing and related operations. This desktop application establishes communication with the official government server at jws.agenziaentrate.it using unencrypted HTTP protocols instead of secure HTTPS connections. The implementation flaw creates a significant security weakness that directly violates fundamental network security principles and industry best practices for protecting sensitive government communications.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to implement proper transport layer security measures when communicating with remote servers. By transmitting data over cleartext HTTP connections, the software exposes all communication between the client application and the government server to interception and modification by malicious actors. This represents a direct violation of the principle of secure communication as outlined in various cybersecurity frameworks including the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and ISO/IEC 27001 standards. The vulnerability specifically aligns with CWE-319, which addresses the exposure of sensitive information through cleartext transmission, and CWE-310, which deals with cryptographic weaknesses in data transmission.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted for both end users and the issuing authority. Attackers capable of performing man-in-the-middle attacks can intercept and modify software update notifications, potentially delivering malicious payloads to users' systems. This creates a vector for supply chain attacks where legitimate update mechanisms become attack vectors for malware distribution. The threat landscape for such vulnerabilities aligns with ATT&CK technique T1195.001, which covers the use of unsecured communication channels for data manipulation and command execution. Additionally, the vulnerability exposes users to potential credential theft and data exfiltration, particularly concerning the sensitive tax-related information processed through this system.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2021-3003 require immediate implementation of secure communication protocols throughout the affected system architecture. The primary remediation involves upgrading the Agenzia delle Entrate Desktop Telematico application to enforce HTTPS connections with proper certificate validation mechanisms. Organizations should implement network monitoring to detect and prevent cleartext HTTP traffic to the affected server endpoints. Security controls should include mandatory TLS enforcement, certificate pinning where appropriate, and regular security audits of all network communications. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of the principle of least privilege in network communications and the necessity of implementing end-to-end encryption for sensitive government applications as recommended by the European Union's Network and Information Security Directive and the Italian National Cybersecurity Authority guidelines.