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Bug #2679

closed

mod_secdownload md5 comparison vulnerable to timing attacks

Added by ikki over 8 years ago. Updated over 8 years ago.

Status:
Fixed
Priority:
High
Category:
mod_secdownload
Target version:
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Description

In mod_secure_download.c line 267, the following code is used for comparing the user-supplied MD5:


if (0 != strncasecmp(md5_str, p->md5->ptr, 32)) {
con->http_status = 403;
...

Since the strncasecmp(s1, s2, size) function performs a byte-by-byte comparison of the two input strings, it's subject to timing attacks. As soon as two bytes do not match, the function returns. Theoretically, this can be leveraged to determine a valid MD5 checksum. In term of exploitability, it's unlikely to exploit this bug over the Internet, but it may still be practical in a LAN environment (?). Previous research work have demonstrated that it's possible to isolate timing differences of ~100ns. Nevertheless, it's probably worth fixing.

A constant-time comparison must be used to prevent this attack. The following function is currently used by Redis to address a similar vulnerability: https://github.com/antirez/redis/blob/35a0c772b5ef407b700db051233144b6bac8fea3/src/server.c#L2520

Some good papers on timing attacks:
Actions #1

Updated by stbuehler over 8 years ago

  • Target version set to 1.4.38

Given that we use md5 to generate the hash I'm not quite sure how secure the hash comparison has to be, but good catch anyway.

Actions #2

Updated by stbuehler over 8 years ago

  • Status changed from New to Fixed
  • % Done changed from 0 to 100

Applied in changeset r3048.

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