CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2022-34831NVD status: Modified

Ejbca: Improper Certificate Validation

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2022-34831 is a critical-severity improper certificate validation vulnerability in Ejbca from Primekey, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists version 7.9.0 as the first without the flaw, so updating Ejbca to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.53% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Patch this week

Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.

What to do

  1. Update Ejbca to 7.9.0 or a later version.
  2. Read the advisory on support.keyfactor.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
  3. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
PrimekeyEjbcabefore 7.9.07.9.0

Version data comes from NVD's product matching. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
NoneNo account or login is needed.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
HighData or code can be modified at will.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Official description

An issue was discovered in Keyfactor PrimeKey EJBCA before 7.9.0, related to possible inconsistencies in DNS identifiers submitted in an ACME order and the corresponding CSR submitted during finalization. During the ACME enrollment process, an order is submitted containing an identifier for one or multiple dnsNames. These are validated properly in the ACME challenge. However, if the validation passes, a non-compliant client can include additional dnsNames the CSR sent to the finalize endpoint, resulting in EJBCA issuing a certificate including the identifiers that were not validated. This occurs even if the certificate profile is configured to not allow a DN override by the CSR.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Improper Certificate Validation

The product does not validate, or incorrectly validates, a certificate.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Certificates should be carefully managed and checked to assure that data are encrypted with the intended owner's public key.
  • If certificate pinning is being used, ensure that all relevant properties of the certificate are fully validated before the certificate is pinned, including the hostname.

More Improper Certificate Validation vulnerabilities (CWE-295)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Recent Improper Certificate Validation vulnerabilities

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