CVE-2004-2761

Published Jan 5, 2009

Last updated 6 years ago

Overview

Description
The MD5 Message-Digest Algorithm is not collision resistant, which makes it easier for context-dependent attackers to conduct spoofing attacks, as demonstrated by attacks on the use of MD5 in the signature algorithm of an X.509 certificate.
Source
cve@mitre.org
NVD status
Modified

Risk scores

CVSS 2.0

Type
Primary
Base score
5
Impact score
2.9
Exploitability score
10
Vector string
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N

Weaknesses

nvd@nist.gov
CWE-310

Social media

Hype score
Not currently trending

Evaluator

Comment
-
Impact
There are four significant mitigating factors. 1) Most enterprise-class certificates, such as VeriSign’s Extended Validation SSL Certificates use the still secure SHA-1 hash function. 2) Certificates already issued with MD5 signatures are not at risk. The exploit only affects new certificate acquisitions. 3) CAs are quickly moving to replace MD5 with SHA-1. For example, VeriSign was planning to phase out MD5 by the end of January 2009. The date was pushed up due to the December proof of concept. On December 31, 2008, RapidSSL certificates shipped with SHA-1 digital signatures. 4)The researchers did not release the under-the-hood specifics of how the exploit was executed. Source - http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/it-security/the-new-md5-ssl-exploit-is-not-the-end-of-civilization-as-we-know-it/?tag=nl.e036
Solution
There are four significant mitigating factors. 1) Most enterprise-class certificates, such as VeriSign’s Extended Validation SSL Certificates use the still secure SHA-1 hash function. 2) Certificates already issued with MD5 signatures are not at risk. The exploit only affects new certificate acquisitions. 3) CAs are quickly moving to replace MD5 with SHA-1. For example, VeriSign was planning to phase out MD5 by the end of January 2009. The date was pushed up due to the December proof of concept. On December 31, 2008, RapidSSL certificates shipped with SHA-1 digital signatures. 4)The researchers did not release the under-the-hood specifics of how the exploit was executed. Source - http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/it-security/the-new-md5-ssl-exploit-is-not-the-end-of-civilization-as-we-know-it/?tag=nl.e036

Vendor comments

  • Red HatPlease see http://kbase.redhat.com/faq/docs/DOC-15379

Configurations

References