CVE-2020-35733 : Security Advisory and Response

An issue was discovered in Erlang/OTP before 23.2.2. The ssl application 10.2 accepts and trusts an invalid X.509 certificate chain to a trusted root Certification Authority.

Understanding CVE-2020-35733

This CVE identifies a vulnerability in Erlang/OTP that could allow an attacker to exploit an invalid X.509 certificate chain.

What is CVE-2020-35733?

The vulnerability in Erlang/OTP before version 23.2.2 allows the ssl application to trust an invalid X.509 certificate chain to a trusted root Certification Authority.

The Impact of CVE-2020-35733

This vulnerability could be exploited by an attacker to deceive the system into trusting a malicious certificate, potentially leading to man-in-the-middle attacks or unauthorized access.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-35733

This section provides more in-depth technical information about the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The ssl application 10.2 in Erlang/OTP before 23.2.2 improperly accepts and trusts an invalid X.509 certificate chain.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Not applicable
Vendor: Not applicable
Versions affected: Not applicable

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by presenting a crafted X.509 certificate chain to the ssl application, tricking it into accepting the invalid chain.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect your systems from the CVE-2020-35733 vulnerability with the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Erlang/OTP to version 23.2.2 or later to patch the vulnerability.
Monitor for any unusual SSL/TLS certificate behavior.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch all software components to prevent known vulnerabilities.
Implement proper SSL/TLS certificate validation mechanisms.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security updates from Erlang/OTP.
Apply patches promptly to ensure your systems are protected against potential threats.