CVE-2012-5783: Medium severity apache commons httpclient vulnerability
Apache Commons HttpClient 3.x, as used in Amazon Flexible Payments Service (FPS) merchant Java SDK and other products, does not verify that the server hostname matches a domain name in the subject's Common Name (CN) or subjectAltName field of the X.509 certificate, which allows man-in-the-middle attackers to spoof SSL servers via an arbitrary valid certificate.
Other sources
Apache Commons HttpClient, as used in Amazon Flexible Payments Service (FPS) merchant Java SDK and other products, could allow a remote attacker to conduct spoofing attacks, caused by the failure to verify that the server hostname matches a domain name in the subject's Common Name (CN) field of the X.509 certificate. By persuading a victim to visit a Web site containing a specially-crafted certificate, an attacker could exploit this vulnerability using man-in-the-middle techniques to spoof an SSL server.
— IBM
Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures assigned an identifier CVE-2012-5783 to the following vulnerability:
Apache Commons HttpClient 3.x, as used in Amazon Flexible Payments Service (FPS) merchant Java SDK and other products, does not verify that the server hostname matches a domain name in the subject's Common Name (CN) or subjectAltName field of the X.509 certificate, which allows man-in-the-middle attackers to spoof SSL servers via andaarbitrary valid certificate.
References: [1] http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~shmat/shmatccs12.pdf [2] https://crypto.stanford.edu/~dabo/pubs/abstracts/ssl-client-bugs.html [3] http://www.sigsac.org/ccs/CCS2012/techprogram.shtml
— Red Hat
Affected Software
Remediation
Patch Available
Event History
Parent advisories
This vulnerability appears in the following advisories.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2012-5783?
CVE-2012-5783 is a vulnerability in Apache Commons HttpClient that could allow a remote attacker to conduct spoofing attacks.
Which products are affected by CVE-2012-5783?
Apache Commons HttpClient 3.x, Amazon Flexible Payments Service (FPS) merchant Java SDK, and other products are affected by CVE-2012-5783.
What is the severity of CVE-2012-5783?
The severity of CVE-2012-5783 is medium, with a severity value of 5.8.
How can I fix CVE-2012-5783?
To fix CVE-2012-5783, update to the recommended patch version specified in the affected software section.
Where can I find more information about CVE-2012-5783?
You can find more information about CVE-2012-5783 at the following references: [link1](https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2012-5783), [link2](http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~shmat/shmat_ccs12.pdf), [link3](https://crypto.stanford.edu/~dabo/pubs/abstracts/ssl-client-bugs.html).