LDAP password leak in Apereo CAS - GHSL-2023-009
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Information disclosure
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · None · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and GitHub. Impact type from CWE-200.
Summary
Apereo CAS is an open source multilingual single sign-on solution for the web. Apereo CAS can be configured to use authentication based on client X509 certificates. These certificates can be provided via TLS handshake or a special HTTP header, such as “ssl_client_cert”. When checking the validity of the provided client certificate, X509CredentialsAuthenticationHandler performs check that this certificate is not revoked. To do so, it fetches URLs provided in the “CRL Distribution Points” extension of the certificate, which are taken from the certificate itself and therefore can be controlled by a malicious user. If the CAS server is configured to use an LDAP server for x509 authentication with a password, for example by setting a “cas.authn.x509.ldap.ldap-url” and “cas.authn.x509.ldap.bind-credential” properties, X509CredentialsAuthenticationHandler fetches revocation URLs from the certificate, which can be LDAP urls. When making requests to this LDAP urls, Apereo CAS uses the same password as for initially configured LDAP server, which can lead to a password leak. An unauthenticated user can leak the password used to LDAP connection configured on server. This issue has been addressed in version 6.6.6. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Poc
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apereo | CAS | 6.5.0 to before 6.5.9.1; 6.6.0 to before 6.6.6 | 6.5.9.1, 6.6.6 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | org.apereo.cas:cas-server-support-x509-core (Maven) | 6.5.0 to before 6.6.6 | 6.6.6 | Patch available | GHSA-p78h-m8pv-g9gm |
- CAS VendorApereo Affected 6.5.0 to before 6.5.9.1; 6.6.0 to before 6.6.6 Fixed in 6.5.9.1, 6.6.6 Patch available CNA
- org.apereo.cas:cas-server-support-x509-core (Maven) Vendor— Affected 6.5.0 to before 6.6.6 Fixed in 6.6.6 Patch available GHSA-p78h-m8pv-g9gm
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:apereo:central_authentication_service:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.5.0 to before 6.5.9.1; 6.6.0 to before 6.6.6 | Vulnerable | Apereo |
- cpe:2.3:a:apereo:central_authentication_service:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.5.0 to before 6.5.9.1; 6.6.0 to before 6.6.6 Vulnerable ·Apereo
Remediation
- Fix · CNA CAS (Apereo) Fixed in 6.5.9.1, 6.6.6
- Fix · GHSA-p78h-m8pv-g9gm org.apereo.cas:cas-server-support-x509-core (Maven) Fixed in 6.6.6 Advisory →
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-28857
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-p78h-m8pv-g9gm
References
Advisory 4
Other 5
- https://github.com/apereo/cas/releases/tag/v6.6.6
- https://apereo.github.io/2023/02/20/x509-vuln
- https://github.com/apereo/cas
- https://github.com/graciantrivino/cas/blob/b90003f43a8ac0382d5416ceb01074feb936bf24/cas-server-support-x509/src/main/java/org/jasig/cas/adaptors/x509/authentication/handler/support/X509CredentialsAuthenticationHandler.java#L231
- https://securitylab.github.com/advisories
More Apereo Central Authentication Service vulnerabilities
- TI-2024-10382 Apereo CAS login session expiration CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 6.3
- TI-2024-10383 Apereo CAS 2FA login improper authentication CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 5.3
- TI-2024-10381 Apereo CAS login redirect CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 5.3
- TI-2024-04097 CAS <= 1.0.0 - Unauthenticated SSRF CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.1
- TI-2023-04254 MFA bypass in Apereo CAS CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2019-08019 Multiple classes used within Apereo CAS before release 6.1.0-RC5 makes use of apache… CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.1
Sources
- CVE-2023-28857 · CVE Program
- CVE-2023-28857 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-p78h-m8pv-g9gm · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences