Karl.Fail

Tag: cwe-287

  • CVE-2025-24032: Authentication Bypass in PAM-PKCS#11 Due to Insecure Default `cert_policy` Setting

    Overview

    On February 10, 2025, a critical vulnerability was published under the identifier CVE-2025-24032, affecting the PAM-PKCS#11 module maintained by OpenSC. This Linux-PAM login module facilitates user authentication via X.509 certificates and is commonly integrated into secure systems that use smartcards or cryptographic tokens. The vulnerability has been rated CRITICAL with a CVSS v4.0 base score of 9.2.

    Technical Details

    The vulnerability stems from the default setting of the cert_policy configuration parameter in pam_pkcs11. If left as none-its default-pam_pkcs11 does not verify that the presented token can perform private key operations such as signing. Instead, it only checks if the certificate exists on a token and whether the user has access to it.

    This creates a severe security gap. An attacker can fabricate a token containing a victim’s public certificate and pair it with a known PIN. If no private key validation is enforced, the system cannot distinguish this fake token from a legitimate one, allowing unauthorized logins.

    Affected Versions

    The issue affects all versions from pam_pkcs11-0.6.0 up to but not including 0.6.13.

    CVSS v4.0 Vector

    CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:L

    • Attack Vector: Network
    • Attack Complexity: Low
    • Attack Requirements: Present (crafted token needed)
    • Privileges Required: None
    • User Interaction: None
    • Scope: Changed
    • Confidentiality & Integrity Impact: High
    • Availability Impact: Low

    Mitigation

    Users are strongly advised to upgrade to pam_pkcs11 version 0.6.13 or later. The patched version enforces signature-based validation by default. As an immediate workaround, administrators should set cert_policy = signature; explicitly in the pam_pkcs11.conf file.

    Conclusion

    CVE-2025-24032 exemplifies the risks of insecure defaults in authentication modules. In critical environments using smartcard-based login, overlooking private key validation opens doors for silent impersonation. Updating PAM-PKCS#11 and revisiting configuration settings is imperative to mitigate this threat.

  • Authentication Bypass in PAM-PKCS#11 due to Weak Default `cert_policy` Setting

    Overview

    CVE-2025-24032 identifies a critical vulnerability in PAM-PKCS#11, a Linux-PAM module enabling X.509 certificate-based authentication.

    Technical Details

    The vulnerability, classified under CWE-287: Improper Authentication, arises when cert_policy is set to none (default). In such cases, pam_pkcs11 validates only that a user can log into a token—without requiring private key signature verification.

    This means an attacker can craft a token using a victim’s public certificate and a known PIN. Since no signature is required, the attacker can bypass authentication and gain unauthorized access.

    Severity and CVSS

    • CVSS 4.0 Base Score: 9.2 (Critical)
    • Vector: AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:L/SC:L/SI:L/SA:L

    Affected Versions

    All versions prior to pam_pkcs11-0.6.13 are impacted.

    Mitigation and Recommendations

    • Upgrade to version 0.6.13 immediately.
    • In pam_pkcs11.conf, set cert_policy = signature; explicitly to enforce private key verification.

    Conclusion

    This vulnerability demonstrates the dangers of insecure default configurations. Ensuring that authentication relies on proper cryptographic verification is critical for maintaining secure login workflows.

    For more technical details and mitigation steps, refer to the official GitHub advisory.

  • CVE-2025-0070: Critical Improper Authentication in SAP NetWeaver ABAP Server

    Overview

    On January 14, 2025, SAP published a critical vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-0070 affecting the SAP NetWeaver Application Server for ABAP and ABAP Platform. The flaw is categorized under CWE-287: Improper Authentication and allows authenticated attackers to escalate privileges due to insufficient authentication enforcement.

    Vulnerability Details

    The vulnerability exists in the authentication logic of the ABAP platform. An attacker with valid user credentials can exploit improper authentication checks to gain unauthorized access to system functionality. This allows the attacker to escalate privileges and potentially control critical components of the affected SAP environment.

    Successful exploitation leads to a high impact on system confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Given the scope change and low complexity, this vulnerability presents a significant risk in enterprise SAP environments.

    Technical Breakdown

    This vulnerability is rated as Critical with a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.9. The CVSS vector is:

    CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

    Key attributes include:

    • Attack Vector: Network
    • Attack Complexity: Low
    • Privileges Required: Low
    • User Interaction: None
    • Scope: Changed
    • Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability Impact: High

    Impacted Versions

    The following SAP kernel versions are affected:

    • KRNL64NUC 7.22
    • 7.22EXT
    • KRNL64UC 7.22
    • 7.53, 7.54, 7.77, 7.89, 7.93, 7.97
    • 8.04, 9.12, 9.13, 9.14
    • KERNEL 7.22

    Understanding CWE-287

    CWE-287 highlights scenarios where systems fail to properly authenticate users or validate their permissions before granting access. In the context of SAP, such a flaw can be especially dangerous given the critical role these systems play in business operations.

    Recommendations

    • Apply the latest security patches provided in SAP Note 3537476.
    • Audit user roles and authentication configurations across all affected systems.
    • Limit access to exposed services and interfaces wherever possible.
    • Monitor logs for signs of unauthorized access or privilege escalation attempts.

    Conclusion

    CVE-2025-0070 represents a severe authentication failure in core SAP components. Due to the high potential impact and ease of exploitation, organizations should treat remediation as a priority and ensure all safeguards are in place to protect sensitive enterprise environments.

  • CVE-2025-30282: Critical Improper Authentication Vulnerability in Adobe ColdFusion

    Overview

    CVE-2025-30282 is a critical vulnerability discovered in Adobe ColdFusion, affecting versions 2025.0 and earlier, including 2023.12 and 2021.18. The flaw is classified as an Improper Authentication issue and has been assigned a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.1 (Critical). It allows high-privileged attackers to bypass authentication and execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user, without any user interaction.

    What is Improper Authentication?

    CWE-287: Improper Authentication refers to a condition where an application does not properly verify the identity of a user or service. In the case of ColdFusion, attackers can leverage this flaw to skip authentication checks and directly perform unauthorized actions, including executing arbitrary code on the server.

    Technical Details

    The vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network, requires high privileges, but no user interaction. The scope is changed, meaning a successful exploit can affect components beyond the immediate vulnerable area.

    According to the CVSS vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H, the impact spans across:

    • Confidentiality: High
    • Integrity: High
    • Availability: High

    This indicates the potential for total system compromise if exploited.

    Risk and SSVC Assessment

    The CISA Stakeholder-Specific Vulnerability Categorization (SSVC) assessment confirms:

    • No exploitation in the wild
    • Exploitation is not easily automatable
    • Technical impact is considered total

    Although not currently exploited, the severity and potential consequences make this a high-priority issue.

    Mitigation

    To address CVE-2025-30282, Adobe has released patches and security updates. Administrators should:

    • Immediately upgrade ColdFusion to the latest secure version
    • Review authentication and access control configurations
    • Restrict network access to ColdFusion services wherever possible

    References

    This vulnerability underscores the importance of strict authentication enforcement and regular patching in enterprise application environments.

  • CVE-2025-47275: Critical Authentication Flaw in Auth0-PHP SDK

    Overview

    CVE-2025-47275 is a critical vulnerability in the Auth0-PHP SDK affecting versions from 8.0.0-BETA1 up to (but not including) 8.14.0. This vulnerability involves forgeable encrypted session cookies that can allow unauthorized access under specific conditions. The flaw impacts applications configured to use CookieStore for session management.

    Technical Details

    The vulnerability is categorized as CWE-287: Improper Authentication. It stems from weak authentication tags used in encrypted session cookies. These tags can potentially be brute-forced, enabling attackers to forge session cookies and gain unauthorized access to an application without credentials.

    The attack is possible only under certain preconditions:

    • The application uses the Auth0-PHP SDK version >= 8.0.0-BETA1 and < 8.14.0
    • CookieStore is used for storing session data
    • Dependent integrations such as auth0/laravel-auth0, auth0/symfony, or auth0/wordpress may also be impacted

    Severity and CVSS Score

    This issue has been scored with a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.1 (Critical):

    • Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
    • Confidentiality and Integrity impact: High
    • Attack complexity: Low

    The vulnerability can be exploited remotely over the network without user interaction or authentication, highlighting its high risk profile.

    SSVC Analysis

    The CISA Stakeholder-Specific Vulnerability Categorization (SSVC) indicates:

    • No known active exploitation
    • Automatable attack scenario
    • Total technical impact if exploited

    This categorization further reinforces the urgency of mitigation.

    Mitigation Recommendations

    To mitigate CVE-2025-47275, take the following steps:

    • Upgrade to Auth0-PHP SDK version 8.14.0 or later
    • Rotate your cookie encryption keys
    • Be aware that after updating, all existing session cookies will become invalid

    References

    Given the potential for unauthorized access, prompt remediation is strongly recommended for all affected applications.