Description:

CVE-2024-0727 is a vulnerability in OpenSSL, a widely used cryptographic library, that can lead to a Denial of Service (DoS) attack. The issue arises when OpenSSL processes a maliciously formatted PKCS12 file, causing the application to terminate abruptly. This vulnerability affects applications that load PKCS12 files from untrusted sources using OpenSSL APIs.

Key Insights:

1. Severity: The SOCRadar Vulnerability Risk Score (SVRS) for CVE-2024-0727 is 38, indicating a moderate risk. While the CVSS score is 0, the SVRS considers additional factors such as social media, news, code repositories, dark/deep web data, and associations with threat actors and malware. This suggests that the vulnerability could be exploited in the wild and requires attention.

2. Impact: The successful exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to a DoS attack, causing applications that process PKCS12 files from untrusted sources to crash. This can disrupt critical services and compromise the availability of systems.

3. Affected Components: The vulnerable OpenSSL APIs include PKCS12_parse(), PKCS12_unpack_p7data(), PKCS12_unpack_p7encdata(), PKCS12_unpack_authsafes(), and PKCS12_newpass(). Additionally, SMIME_write_PKCS7() is also affected, but it is not considered security significant as it relates to writing data.

Mitigation Strategies:

1. Update OpenSSL: The most effective mitigation strategy is to update OpenSSL to the latest version (3.0.8 or later) that addresses this vulnerability. This will ensure that applications using the updated OpenSSL version are protected from this vulnerability.

2. Restrict Untrusted File Access: Organizations should implement strict controls to restrict access to untrusted PKCS12 files. This can be achieved by implementing file access controls, network segmentation, and firewalls to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data.

3. Implement Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDPS): Deploying IDPS can help detect and block malicious traffic targeting the vulnerable OpenSSL APIs. This can provide an additional layer of protection against potential attacks.

4. Educate Users: Organizations should educate users about the risks associated with opening untrusted PKCS12 files. Users should be advised to exercise caution when handling files from unknown or untrusted sources.

Additional Information:

• Threat Actors/APT Groups: There is no information available regarding specific threat actors or APT groups actively exploiting this vulnerability.

• Exploit Status: Active exploits have not been published at this time.

• CISA Warnings: The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has not issued a warning for this vulnerability.

• In the Wild: There is no evidence to suggest that this vulnerability is actively exploited in the wild.

If users have additional queries regarding this incident, they can use the 'Ask to Analyst' feature, contact SOCRadar directly, or open a support ticket for more information if necessary.