CVE-2023-5992 in OpenSC
Summary
by MITRE • 01/31/2024
A vulnerability was found in OpenSC where PKCS#1 encryption padding removal is not implemented as side-channel resistant. This issue may result in the potential leak of private data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/28/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-5992 resides within the OpenSC cryptographic library, a widely used open-source framework for smart card communication and cryptographic operations. This flaw specifically affects the implementation of PKCS#1 encryption padding mechanisms, which are fundamental components in RSA cryptographic operations. The OpenSC library serves as a critical interface between applications and smart cards, enabling secure authentication and data encryption across numerous enterprise and government systems. Organizations relying on smart card-based authentication, digital signatures, and secure communications are particularly at risk when this vulnerability exists in their cryptographic infrastructure.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the absence of side-channel resistant implementation for PKCS#1 encryption padding removal. In cryptographic systems, side-channel attacks exploit information gained from the physical implementation of a cryptosystem rather than theoretical weaknesses in the algorithms themselves. When padding removal operations are not implemented with side-channel resistance, they become susceptible to timing attacks and power analysis techniques that can extract sensitive information. The flaw manifests when the system processes RSA encrypted data where the padding verification step does not employ constant-time operations or other countermeasures against side-channel leakage. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-310 as "Cryptographic Implementation Fault" and specifically relates to weak cryptographic padding implementations that fail to protect against timing-based attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-5992 extends beyond simple data exposure, potentially compromising the entire cryptographic security model of systems utilizing OpenSC. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to recover private keys, decrypt sensitive communications, or forge digital signatures through sophisticated side-channel analysis techniques. The vulnerability affects systems that rely on smart card-based authentication, secure email encryption, digital certificate management, and any application that depends on proper PKCS#1 padding validation. Organizations using OpenSC for secure communications may experience unauthorized access to confidential data, compromise of digital signatures, and potential breaches of authentication systems. The attack surface is particularly concerning in environments where smart cards are used for high-security applications such as government agencies, financial institutions, and critical infrastructure protection systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-5992 require immediate attention from system administrators and security teams responsible for cryptographic infrastructure. The primary recommendation involves updating to the latest version of OpenSC where the vulnerability has been addressed through proper side-channel resistant implementation of PKCS#1 padding removal. Organizations should also implement monitoring systems to detect potential side-channel attack attempts and conduct thorough security assessments of their cryptographic environments. Additional protective measures include deploying hardware security modules that provide built-in side-channel resistance, implementing proper key management practices, and regularly auditing cryptographic implementations. The mitigation approach aligns with ATT&CK technique T1583.001 for credential access and T1005 for data from local systems, emphasizing the need for comprehensive cryptographic security measures. Security teams should also consider implementing network-based detection mechanisms to identify potential exploitation attempts and establish incident response procedures specifically tailored to cryptographic vulnerabilities. Organizations should prioritize this vulnerability in their risk assessment frameworks and ensure that all systems relying on OpenSC are updated to prevent potential exploitation through timing-based side-channel attacks.