CWE-599 - Missing Validation of OpenSSL Certificate
- Abstraction:Variant
- Structure:Simple
- Status:Incomplete
- Release Date:2006-12-15
- Latest Modification Date:2026-04-30
Weakness Name
Missing Validation of OpenSSL Certificate
Description
The product uses OpenSSL and trusts or uses a certificate without using the SSL_get_verify_result() function to ensure that the certificate satisfies all necessary security requirements.
Common Consequences
Scope: Confidentiality
Impact: Read Application Data
Notes: The data read may not be properly secured - it might be viewed by an attacker.
Scope: Access Control
Impact: Bypass Protection Mechanism, Gain Privileges or Assume Identity
Notes: Trust afforded to the system in question may allow for spoofing or redirection attacks.
Scope: Access Control
Impact: Gain Privileges or Assume Identity
Notes: If the certificate is not checked, it may be possible for a redirection or spoofing attack to allow a malicious host with a valid certificate to provide data under the guise of a trusted host. While the attacker in question may have a valid certificate, it may simply be a valid certificate for a different site. This could allow an attacker to use an invalid certificate to claim to be a trusted host, use expired certificates, or conduct other attacks that could be detected if the certificate is properly validated. In order to ensure data integrity, we must check that the certificate is valid, and that it pertains to the site we wish to access.