CWE - CWE-593: Authentication Bypass: OpenSSL CTX Object Modified after SSL Objects are Created (4.4)

Weakness ID: 593

Abstraction: Variant
Structure: Simple

Status: Draft

Presentation Filter:

Description

The software modifies the SSL context after connection creation has begun.

Extended Description

If the program modifies the SSL_CTX object after creating SSL objects from it, there is the possibility that older SSL objects created from the original context could all be affected by that change.

Relationships

The table(s) below shows the weaknesses and high level categories that are related to this weakness. These relationships are defined as ChildOf, ParentOf, MemberOf and give insight to similar items that may exist at higher and lower levels of abstraction. In addition, relationships such as PeerOf and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.

Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (CWE-1000)

Nature	Type	ID	Name
ChildOf	Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource.	287	Improper Authentication
ChildOf	Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource.	666	Operation on Resource in Wrong Phase of Lifetime

Relevant to the view "Architectural Concepts" (CWE-1008)

Nature	Type	ID	Name
MemberOf	Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic.	1010	Authenticate Actors

Modes Of Introduction

The different Modes of Introduction provide information about how and when this weakness may be introduced. The Phase identifies a point in the life cycle at which introduction may occur, while the Note provides a typical scenario related to introduction during the given phase.

Phase	Note
Architecture and Design
Implementation	REALIZATION: This weakness is caused during implementation of an architectural security tactic.

Common Consequences

The table below specifies different individual consequences associated with the weakness. The Scope identifies the application security area that is violated, while the Impact describes the negative technical impact that arises if an adversary succeeds in exploiting this weakness. The Likelihood provides information about how likely the specific consequence is expected to be seen relative to the other consequences in the list. For example, there may be high likelihood that a weakness will be exploited to achieve a certain impact, but a low likelihood that it will be exploited to achieve a different impact.

Scope	Impact	Likelihood
Access Control	Technical Impact: Bypass Protection Mechanism No authentication takes place in this process, bypassing an assumed protection of encryption.
Confidentiality	Technical Impact: Read Application Data The encrypted communication between a user and a trusted host may be subject to a sniffing attack.

Demonstrative Examples

Example 1

The following example demonstrates the weakness.

(bad code)

Example Language: C

#define CERT "secret.pem"
#define CERT2 "secret2.pem"

int main(){

SSL_CTX *ctx;
SSL *ssl;
init_OpenSSL();
seed_prng();

ctx = SSL_CTX_new(SSLv23_method());

if (SSL_CTX_use_certificate_chain_file(ctx, CERT) != 1)

int_error("Error loading certificate from file");

if (SSL_CTX_use_PrivateKey_file(ctx, CERT, SSL_FILETYPE_PEM) != 1)

int_error("Error loading private key from file");

if (!(ssl = SSL_new(ctx)))

int_error("Error creating an SSL context");

if ( SSL_CTX_set_default_passwd_cb(ctx, "new default password" != 1))

int_error("Doing something which is dangerous to do anyways");

if (!(ssl2 = SSL_new(ctx)))

int_error("Error creating an SSL context");

}

Potential Mitigations

Phase: Architecture and Design

Use a language or a library that provides a cryptography framework at a higher level of abstraction.

Phase: Implementation

Most SSL_CTX functions have SSL counterparts that act on SSL-type objects.

Phase: Implementation

Applications should set up an SSL_CTX completely, before creating SSL objects from it.

Memberships

This MemberOf Relationships table shows additional CWE Categories and Views that reference this weakness as a member. This information is often useful in understanding where a weakness fits within the context of external information sources.

Nature	Type	ID	Name
MemberOf	Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic.	948	SFP Secondary Cluster: Digital Certificate

Related Attack Patterns

CAPEC-ID	Attack Pattern Name
CAPEC-94	Man in the Middle Attack

Content History

Submissions
Submission Date	Submitter	Organization
2006-12-15	CWE Community
2006-12-15	Submitted by members of the CWE community to extend early CWE versions
Modifications
Modification Date	Modifier	Organization
2008-07-01	Eric Dalci	Cigital
2008-07-01	updated Time_of_Introduction
2008-09-08	CWE Content Team	MITRE
2008-09-08	updated Common_Consequences, Relationships, Other_Notes
2009-07-27	CWE Content Team	MITRE
2009-07-27	updated Description, Other_Notes, Potential_Mitigations
2011-06-01	CWE Content Team	MITRE
2011-06-01	updated Common_Consequences
2011-06-27	CWE Content Team	MITRE
2011-06-27	updated Common_Consequences
2012-05-11	CWE Content Team	MITRE
2012-05-11	updated Relationships
2014-07-30	CWE Content Team	MITRE
2014-07-30	updated Relationships
2017-05-03	CWE Content Team	MITRE
2017-05-03	updated Potential_Mitigations, Relationships
2017-11-08	CWE Content Team	MITRE
2017-11-08	updated Demonstrative_Examples, Modes_of_Introduction, Relationships
2020-02-24	CWE Content Team	MITRE
2020-02-24	updated Common_Consequences, Relationships


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Common Weakness Enumeration

CWE-593: Authentication Bypass: OpenSSL CTX Object Modified after SSL Objects are Created