CWE-599

Variant Abstraction Level
Pillar — Highest-level weakness category
Class — Abstract, language-independent
Base — Specific enough to detect
Variant — Tied to specific technology
Compound — Requires multiple weaknesses Incomplete MITRE CWE Status
Stable — Fully reviewed and complete
Draft — Under development, may change
Incomplete — Partially defined by MITRE
Deprecated — No longer recommended
Obsolete — Replaced by another CWE
Missing Validation of OpenSSL Certificate

Description

The product uses OpenSSL and trusts or uses a certificate without using the SSL_get_verify_result() function to ensure that the certificate satisfies all necessary security requirements.

This could allow an attacker to use an invalid certificate to claim to be a trusted host, use expired certificates, or conduct other attacks that could be detected if the certificate is properly validated.

Consequences

Confidentiality — Read Application Data

The data read may not be properly secured, it might be viewed by an attacker.

Access Control — Bypass Protection Mechanism, Gain Privileges or Assume Identity

Trust afforded to the system in question may allow for spoofing or redirection attacks.

Access Control — Gain Privileges or Assume Identity

If the certificate is not checked, it may be possible for a redirection or spoofing attack to allow a malicious host with a valid certificate to provide data under the guise of a trusted host. While the attacker in question may have a valid certificate, it may simply be a valid certificate for a different site. In order to ensure data integrity, we must check that the certificate is valid, and that it pertains to the site we wish to access.

Mitigations

Phase: Architecture and Design

Ensure that proper authentication is included in the system design.

Phase: Implementation

Understand and properly implement all checks necessary to ensure the identity of entities involved in encrypted communications.