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Improper Certificate Validation

CVE-2003-1229

Severity High
Score 7.5/10

Summary

X509TrustManager in (1) Java Secure Socket Extension (JSSE) in SDK and JRE 1.4.0 through 1.4.0_01, (2) JSSE before 1.0.3, (3) Java Plug-in SDK and JRE 1.3.0 through 1.4.1, and (4) Java Web Start 1.0 through 1.2 incorrectly calls the isClientTrusted method when determining server trust, which results in improper validation of digital certificate and allows remote attackers to (1) falsely authenticate peers for SSL or (2) incorrectly validate signed JAR files.

  • LOW
  • NETWORK
  • NONE
  • PARTIAL
  • PARTIAL
  • PARTIAL

CWE-295 - Improper Certificate Validation

The authenticity component of a web system stems from the ability to validate “Digital certificates”, which (i) establish trust between two or more entities sharing data over a network; (ii) ensure data at rest and transit is secure from unauthorized access; and (iii) check the identity of the actors that interact with the system. An application with absent or ineffective certificate validation mechanisms allows malicious users, impersonating trusted hosts, to manipulate the communication path between the client and the host, resulting in unauthorized access to data and to the application’s internal environment, and potentially enabling man-in-the-middle attacks.

References

Advisory Timeline

  • Published