Home > CAPEC List > CAPEC-475: Signature Spoofing by Improper Validation (Version 3.9)

CAPEC-475: Signature Spoofing by Improper Validation

Attack Pattern ID: 475
Abstraction: Detailed
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Description
An adversary exploits a cryptographic weakness in the signature verification algorithm implementation to generate a valid signature without knowing the key.
Extended Description

Signature verification algorithms are generally used to determine whether a certificate or piece of code (e.g. executable, binary, etc.) possesses a valid signature and can be trusted.

If the leveraged algorithm confirms that a valid signature exists, it establishes a foundation of trust that is further conveyed to the end-user when interacting with a website or application. However, if the signature verification algorithm improperly validates the signature, either by not validating the signature at all or by failing to fully validate the signature, it could result in an adversary generating a spoofed signature and being classified as a legitimate entity. Successfully exploiting such a weakness could further allow the adversary to reroute users to malicious sites, steals files, activates microphones, records keystrokes and passwords, wipes disks, installs malware, and more.

Likelihood Of Attack

Low

Typical Severity

High

Relationships
Section HelpThis table shows the other attack patterns and high level categories that are related to this attack pattern. These relationships are defined as ChildOf and ParentOf, and give insight to similar items that may exist at higher and lower levels of abstraction. In addition, relationships such as CanFollow, PeerOf, and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar attack patterns that the user may want to explore.
NatureTypeIDName
ChildOfStandard Attack PatternStandard Attack Pattern - A standard level attack pattern in CAPEC is focused on a specific methodology or technique used in an attack. It is often seen as a singular piece of a fully executed attack. A standard attack pattern is meant to provide sufficient details to understand the specific technique and how it attempts to accomplish a desired goal. A standard level attack pattern is a specific type of a more abstract meta level attack pattern.473Signature Spoof
CanPrecedeStandard Attack PatternStandard Attack Pattern - A standard level attack pattern in CAPEC is focused on a specific methodology or technique used in an attack. It is often seen as a singular piece of a fully executed attack. A standard attack pattern is meant to provide sufficient details to understand the specific technique and how it attempts to accomplish a desired goal. A standard level attack pattern is a specific type of a more abstract meta level attack pattern.542Targeted Malware
Section HelpThis table shows the views that this attack pattern belongs to and top level categories within that view.
Prerequisites
Recipient is using a weak cryptographic signature verification algorithm or a weak implementation of a cryptographic signature verification algorithm, or the configuration of the recipient's application accepts the use of keys generated using cryptographically weak signature verification algorithms.
Skills Required
[Level: High]
Cryptanalysis of signature verification algorithm
[Level: High]
Reverse engineering and cryptanalysis of signature verification algorithm implementation
Mitigations
Use programs and products that contain cryptographic elements that have been thoroughly tested for flaws in the signature verification routines.
Example Instances
The Windows CryptoAPI (Crypt32.dll) was shown to be vulnerable to signature spoofing by failing to properly validate Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) certificates. If the CryptoAPI's signature validator allows the specification of a nonstandard base point (G): "An adversary can create a custom ECDSA certificate with an elliptic curve (ECC) signature that appears to match a known standard curve, like P-256 that includes a public key for an existing known trusted certificate authority, but which was in fact not signed by that certificate authority. Windows checks the public key and other curve parameters, but not the (bespoke adversary-supplied) base point generator (G) parameter constant which actually generated the curve" [REF-562]. Exploiting this vulnerability allows the adversary to leverage a spoofed certificate to dupe trusted network connections and deliver/execute malicious code, while appearing as legitimately trusted entity [REF-563]. This ultimately tricks the victim into believing the malicious website or executable is legitimate and originates from a properly verified source. See also: CVE-2020-0601
Taxonomy Mappings
Section HelpCAPEC mappings to ATT&CK techniques leverage an inheritance model to streamline and minimize direct CAPEC/ATT&CK mappings. Inheritance of a mapping is indicated by text stating that the parent CAPEC has relevant ATT&CK mappings. Note that the ATT&CK Enterprise Framework does not use an inheritance model as part of the mapping to CAPEC.
Relevant to the ATT&CK taxonomy mapping (see parent )
References
[REF-562] Kenn White. "Microsoft's Chain of Fools". First Principles. 2020年01月15日. <https://blog.lessonslearned.org/chain-of-fools/>. URL validated: 2020年04月29日.
[REF-563] "Patch Critical Cryptographic Vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Clients and Servers". National Security Agency (NSA). 2020年01月14日. <https://media.defense.gov/2020/Jan/14/2002234275/-1/-1/0/CSA-WINDOWS-10-CRYPT-LIB-20190114.PDF>. URL validated: 2020年04月29日.
[REF-564] Thomas Ptacek and Thomas Pornin. "Analysis of REF-563". Hacker News. <https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22048619>. URL validated: 2020年04月29日.
Content History
Submissions
Submission DateSubmitterOrganization
2014年06月23日
(Version 2.6)
CAPEC Content TeamThe MITRE Corporation
Modifications
Modification DateModifierOrganization
2017年05月01日
(Version 2.10)
CAPEC Content TeamThe MITRE Corporation
Updated Related_Attack_Patterns
2019年04月04日
(Version 3.1)
CAPEC Content TeamThe MITRE Corporation
Updated Related_Weaknesses
2019年09月30日
(Version 3.2)
CAPEC Content TeamThe MITRE Corporation
Updated Example_Instances, References, Related_Attack_Patterns, Related_Weaknesses
2020年07月30日
(Version 3.3)
CAPEC Content TeamThe MITRE Corporation
Updated Description, Example_Instances
2022年02月22日
(Version 3.7)
CAPEC Content TeamThe MITRE Corporation
Updated Description, Example_Instances, Extended_Description
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Page Last Updated or Reviewed: July 31, 2018

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