CVE-2021-40713 in Experience Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 09/28/2021
Adobe Experience Manager version 6.5.9.0 (and earlier) is affected by a improper certificate validation vulnerability in the cold storage component. If an attacker can achieve a man in the middle when the cold server establishes a new certificate, they would be able to harvest sensitive information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/03/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-40713 affects Adobe Experience Manager version 6.5.9.0 and earlier releases, specifically targeting the cold storage component's certificate validation mechanisms. This represents a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of secure communications within the application's infrastructure. The issue stems from insufficient certificate validation procedures that fail to properly verify the authenticity and trustworthiness of digital certificates used during secure connections. The vulnerability creates a pathway for attackers to exploit the certificate validation process during the establishment of new certificates, potentially compromising the security of sensitive data transmissions.
The technical flaw manifests in the improper validation of X.509 certificates within the cold storage component of Adobe Experience Manager. When the system establishes new certificate connections, it fails to perform adequate verification checks that would normally ensure certificate authenticity, issuer legitimacy, and proper cryptographic signatures. This weakness allows attackers positioned in man-in-the-middle positions to intercept certificate exchanges and potentially substitute malicious certificates for legitimate ones. The vulnerability specifically impacts the certificate validation process during the initial connection establishment phase, where the system should enforce strict certificate chain validation but instead accepts certificates without proper scrutiny.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations using Adobe Experience Manager, particularly those handling sensitive customer data, proprietary information, or regulated content. The ability for attackers to harvest sensitive information through certificate manipulation creates potential for data breaches, unauthorized access to confidential systems, and compromise of user credentials. The impact extends beyond simple data theft to include potential system compromise and disruption of business operations. Organizations relying on cold storage components for archiving and long-term data retention face particular risk, as the compromised certificates could enable attackers to access historical data that might otherwise remain protected.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation, and represents a direct violation of security best practices for secure communication protocols. Attackers can leverage this weakness through techniques described in the ATT&CK framework under T1566, specifically targeting credential access through man-in-the-middle attacks. The exploit requires minimal prerequisites and can be automated, making it particularly dangerous for widespread deployment. Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation through Adobe's official security patches and updates while implementing additional monitoring measures to detect potential exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and enhanced certificate monitoring should be implemented as interim mitigations until full patch deployment occurs.
The security implications extend to compliance requirements and regulatory standards where certificate validation is critical for maintaining data integrity and confidentiality. Organizations must conduct thorough risk assessments to determine the scope of potential exposure and implement comprehensive monitoring strategies. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and proper certificate management procedures. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should include specific checks for certificate validation mechanisms to prevent similar issues from emerging in other components of the system infrastructure.