REDHAT-BUG-2497735: Medium severity 389-ds-base vulnerability
A flaw was found in 389-ds-base. The LDBM backend attribute encryption implementation in ldap/servers/slapd/back-ldbm/ldbmattrcrypt.c uses a hardcoded static initialization vector (IV) — 16 bytes of 0x61 — for all AES-CBC-PAD and 3DES-CBC-PAD encryption operations. CBC mode requires a unique, unpredictable IV per encryption operation to provide semantic security. The static IV causes identical plaintext attribute values to produce identical ciphertext, enabling an attacker with privileged read access to the LDBM database files to detect plaintext equality across entries by comparing ciphertext blocks and to facilitate offline cryptanalysis of encrypted attributes.
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Compensating control
Mitigate the impact of the hardcoded static IV by preventing unauthorized users from obtaining privileged read access to the 389-ds-base LDBM database files (lock down file-system/database access so attackers cannot compare ciphertext across entries or perform offline cryptanalysis).
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of REDHAT-BUG-2497735?
The severity of REDHAT-BUG-2497735 is medium, rated at 4.
How can I mitigate the risk associated with REDHAT-BUG-2497735?
To mitigate the risk associated with REDHAT-BUG-2497735, you should update the 389-ds-base software to the latest version that addresses this flaw.
What type of encryption is affected by REDHAT-BUG-2497735?
REDHAT-BUG-2497735 affects the AES-CBC-PAD and 3DES-CBC-PAD encryption operations.
What is the main issue identified in REDHAT-BUG-2497735?
The main issue identified in REDHAT-BUG-2497735 is the use of a hardcoded static initialization vector (IV) for encryption operations.
Which software is impacted by REDHAT-BUG-2497735?
The software impacted by REDHAT-BUG-2497735 is 389-ds-base.