CVE-2013-5960: Esapi Missing Cryptographic Step Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-2g56-7jv7-wxxq
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CWE-325
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2013-5960 is a MODERATE missing cryptographic step vulnerability (CWE-325: Missing Cryptographic Step) affecting Esapi libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves missing cryptographic step in owasp enterprise security api for java. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2.1.0.1.

CVE-2013-5960 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2013-5960
GHSA Identifier GHSA-2g56-7jv7-wxxq
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score N/A
CWE Classification CWE-325: Missing Cryptographic Step
Affected Product Esapi
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

How to Fix CVE-2013-5960

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Esapi dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

org.owasp.esapi:esapi fixed: 2.1.0.1 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.owasp.esapi</groupId>
    <artifactId>esapi</artifactId>
    <version>2.1.0.1</version>
</dependency>
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.owasp.esapi

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2013-5960, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.owasp.esapi

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Esapi in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 2.1.0.1), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.owasp.esapi command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-325: Missing Cryptographic Step, where the product does not implement a required step in a cryptographic algorithm, resulting in weaker encryption than advertised by the algorithm. In Esapi, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

The authenticated-encryption feature in the symmetric-encryption implementation in the OWASP Enterprise Security API (ESAPI) for Java 2.x before 2.1.0.1 does not properly resist tampering with serialized ciphertext, which makes it easier for remote attackers to bypass intended cryptographic protection mechanisms via an attack against the intended cipher mode in a non-default configuration, a different vulnerability than CVE-2013-5679.

CVE-2013-5960 Affected Esapi Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2.1.0.1
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.owasp.esapi:esapi
maven/org.owasp.esapi/esapi
Maven
≥ 2.0.0.0
< 2.1.0.1
2.1.0.1

References

NVD — CVE-2013-5960 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2013-5960
Esapi Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/ESAPI/esapi-java-legacy/issues/359
Esapi Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/esapi/esapi-java-legacy/issues/306
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/ESAPI/esapi-java-legacy/commit/b7cbc53f9cc967cf1a5a9463d8c6fef9ed6ef4f7
Esapi Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/ESAPI/esapi-java-legacy
Esapi Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/ESAPI/esapi-java-legacy/blob/master/documentation/esapi4java-core-2.1.0.1-release-notes.txt
code.google.com/p/owasp-esapi-java/... WEB
http://code.google.com/p/owasp-esapi-java/issues/detail?id=306
lists.owasp.org/pipermail/esapi-dev... WEB
http://lists.owasp.org/pipermail/esapi-dev/2013-August/002285.html
Esapi Security Information SECURITY
http://owasp-esapi-java.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/documentation/ESAPI-security-bulletin1.pdf

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2013-5960?
CVE-2013-5960 is a security vulnerability in Esapi involving Missing Cryptographic Step in OWASP Enterprise Security API for Java under CWE-325: Missing Cryptographic Step.
Which Esapi versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2.1.0.1 across affected packages: org.owasp.esapi:esapi.
What version fixes CVE-2013-5960?
Upgrading to 2.1.0.1 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is esapi affected?
Yes, org.owasp.esapi:esapi is affected in releases prior to 2.1.0.1. Upgrade your dependency to 2.1.0.1 or later.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2013-5960?
CVE-2013-5960 is classified under CWE-325: Missing Cryptographic Step (The product does not implement a required step in a cryptographic algorithm, resulting in weaker encryption than advertised by the algorithm.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2013-5960?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.owasp.esapi'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-2g56-7jv7-wxxq",
  "modified" : "2024-03-05T00:31:04Z",
  "published" : "2022-05-14T01:37:06Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2013-5960" ],
  "summary" : "Missing Cryptographic Step in OWASP Enterprise Security API for Java",
  "details" : "The authenticated-encryption feature in the symmetric-encryption implementation in the OWASP Enterprise Security API (ESAPI) for Java 2.x before 2.1.0.1 does not properly resist tampering with serialized ciphertext, which makes it easier for remote attackers to bypass intended cryptographic protection mechanisms via an attack against the intended cipher mode in a non-default configuration, a different vulnerability than CVE-2013-5679.",
  "severity" : [ ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.owasp.esapi:esapi"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "2.0.0.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.1.0.1"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 2.1.0.0"
    }
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2013-5960"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/ESAPI/esapi-java-legacy/issues/359"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/esapi/esapi-java-legacy/issues/306"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/ESAPI/esapi-java-legacy/commit/b7cbc53f9cc967cf1a5a9463d8c6fef9ed6ef4f7"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/ESAPI/esapi-java-legacy"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/ESAPI/esapi-java-legacy/blob/master/documentation/esapi4java-core-2.1.0.1-release-notes.txt"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://code.google.com/p/owasp-esapi-java/issues/detail?id=306"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://lists.owasp.org/pipermail/esapi-dev/2013-August/002285.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://owasp-esapi-java.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/documentation/ESAPI-security-bulletin1.pdf"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-325" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2022-07-08T19:39:44Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2013-09-30T17:09:00Z"
  }
}