CVE-2025-70029 in SunbirdEd
Summary
by MITRE • 02/11/2026
An issue in Sunbird-Ed SunbirdEd-portal v1.13.4 allows attackers to obtain sensitive information. The application disables TLS/SSL certificate validation by setting 'rejectUnauthorized': false in HTTP request options
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/13/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-70029 represents a critical security flaw in the Sunbird-Ed SunbirdEd-portal version 1.13.4 that exposes the application to significant risks through improper handling of secure communications. This issue stems from the application's deliberate disabling of TLS/SSL certificate validation, which creates an attack surface that adversaries can exploit to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it undermines the fundamental security protocols designed to protect data integrity and confidentiality during network communications.
The technical implementation of this flaw occurs through the explicit configuration parameter 'rejectUnauthorized': false within HTTP request options. This setting effectively disables the verification of SSL/TLS certificates, allowing the application to establish connections with any server regardless of certificate authenticity or trustworthiness. When TLS certificate validation is disabled, attackers can perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting fake certificates to intercept and potentially modify data transmitted between the application and its backend services. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in secure communications, making this a well-documented weakness in cryptographic implementations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure to encompass potential complete system compromise. Attackers can leverage this flaw to intercept sensitive information including user credentials, personal data, and system communications that should remain protected through encrypted channels. The Sunbird-Ed portal, designed for educational content management and delivery, becomes vulnerable to attacks that could compromise student information, institutional data, and administrative communications. This risk is particularly severe in educational environments where data privacy regulations such as FERPA and GDPR apply, making the vulnerability exploitable for both financial gain and data theft.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of ATT&CK framework tactic TA0006 (Credential Access) and technique T1552 (Unsecured Credentials), as the disabled certificate validation creates opportunities for attackers to harvest credentials and sensitive data. The vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1041 (Exfiltration Over C2 Channel) since compromised connections can be used to establish data exfiltration paths. Organizations using this version of Sunbird-Ed portal should immediately implement mitigations including updating to patched versions, enabling proper certificate validation, and implementing network monitoring to detect potential man-in-the-middle attacks. The remediation process should also include comprehensive security auditing of all HTTP client configurations to ensure no other instances of disabled certificate validation exist within the application ecosystem.
The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining proper cryptographic security practices in web applications, particularly those handling sensitive educational data. The flaw represents a preventable configuration error that exposes organizations to substantial risk, emphasizing the need for regular security assessments and adherence to security best practices. Organizations should also implement automated security scanning tools to identify similar configuration issues across their infrastructure, as this vulnerability could exist in other components or applications within the same environment that exhibit similar improper certificate validation behaviors.