CVE-2012-5784: Man-in-the-middle attack in Apache Axis
Summary
CVE-2012-5784: Man-in-the-middle attack in Apache Axis. Affects org.apache.axis:axis versions < 1.4. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
Also tracked for
- axis · Debian:11
The same CVE-2012-5784 is tracked separately for each ecosystem and vendor. Its fix information is the same; the package and affected versions differ.
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Background
Apache Axis is a widely used open-source framework for building web services in Java. It provides a comprehensive set of tools and libraries for creating, deploying, and managing SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) web services. The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-5784 affects Apache Axis versions 1.4 and earlier. This vulnerability is also present in other products that utilize Axis, such as PayPal Payments Pro, PayPal Mass Pay, PayPal Transactional Information SOAP, and the Java Message Service implementation in Apache ActiveMQ.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability allows for a man-in-the-middle attack, where an attacker can intercept and modify communication between a client and a server. The issue arises from the failure of Apache Axis to verify that the server hostname matches a domain name in the subject's Common Name (CN) or subjectAltName field of the X.509 certificate. This lack of verification enables attackers to spoof SSL servers by using an arbitrary valid certificate. As a result, sensitive information transmitted over the network, including authentication credentials and payment details, can be intercepted and manipulated by the attacker.
How To Fix
No fixed version is published for this vulnerability.
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Workaround
If upgrading to a newer version of Apache Axis is not immediately feasible, a possible workaround is to implement additional security measures such as certificate pinning. Certificate pinning involves hardcoding the expected server certificate's public key or fingerprint in the client application. This way, even if an attacker presents a valid certificate for a different domain, the client will reject it because it does not match the pinned certificate.
Conclusion
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-5784 in Apache Axis and related products poses a significant risk of man-in-the-middle attacks. It is crucial to upgrade to a non-affected version of Apache Axis or implement security measures like certificate pinning to mitigate this vulnerability. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for org.apache.axis:axis →
FAQ
Apache Axis is an open-source framework for building web services in Java. It provides tools and libraries for creating, deploying, and managing SOAP web services.
A man-in-the-middle attack is a type of cyber attack where an attacker intercepts and modifies communication between two parties without their knowledge. In this case, the attacker can intercept and manipulate communication between a client and a server using Apache Axis.
This vulnerability affects PayPal products that utilize Apache Axis, such as PayPal Payments Pro, PayPal Mass Pay, and PayPal Transactional Information SOAP. It allows attackers to potentially intercept and manipulate sensitive information transmitted between clients and servers.
An X.509 certificate is a digital certificate that uses the X.509 standard to verify the authenticity of a public key. It is commonly used in SSL/TLS communication to establish secure connections between clients and servers.
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