CVE-2019-9153: Openpgp Message Signature Bypass Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-qwqc-28w3-fww6
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CVSS 7.5
CWE-347
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2019-9153 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.5) message signature bypass vulnerability (CWE-347: Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature) affecting Openpgp libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves message signature bypass in openpgp. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 4.2.0.

CVE-2019-9153 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2019-9153
GHSA Identifier GHSA-qwqc-28w3-fww6
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.5
CWE Classification CWE-347: Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature
Affected Product Openpgp
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 7.5

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality None (C:N)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability None (A:N)

How to Fix CVE-2019-9153

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

openpgp fixed: 4.2.0 
npm install openpgp@4.2.0
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

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

npm ls openpgp

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Node.js application is affected by CVE-2019-9153, inspect your project dependencies using npm:

npm ls openpgp

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Openpgp in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 4.2.0), your application is affected.

Note: The npm ls openpgp command inspects dependencies declared in your package.json and lockfile; it does not perform automated runtime dynamic scanning.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-347: Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature, where the product does not verify, or incorrectly verifies, the cryptographic signature for data. In Openpgp, 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

Versions of `openpgp` prior to 4.2.0 are vulnerable to Message Signature Bypass. The package fails to verify that a message signature is of type `text`. This allows an attacker to to construct a message with a signature type that only verifies subpackets without additional input (such as `standalone` or `timestamp`). For example, an attacker that captures a `standalone` signature packet from a victim can construct arbitrary signed messages that would be verified correctly. ## Recommendation Upgrade to version 4.2.0 or later. If you are upgrading from a version <4.0.0 it is highly recommended to read the `High-Level API Changes` section of the `openpgp` 4.0.0 release: https://github.com/openpgpjs/openpgpjs/releases/tag/v4.0.0

CVE-2019-9153 Affected Openpgp Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
4.2.0
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
openpgp
npm/openpgp
npm
< 4.2.0
4.2.0

References

NVD — CVE-2019-9153 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-9153
Openpgp Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/openpgpjs/openpgpjs/pull/797/commits/327d3e5392a6f59a4270569d200c7f7a2bfc4cbc
Openpgp Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/openpgpjs/openpgpjs/pull/816
Openpgp Release RELEASE
https://github.com/openpgpjs/openpgpjs/releases/tag/v4.2.0
sec-consult.com/en/blog/advisories/... WEB
https://sec-consult.com/en/blog/advisories/multiple-vulnerabilities-in-openpgp-js
snyk.io/vuln/snyk-js-openpg... WEB
https://snyk.io/vuln/SNYK-JS-OPENPGP-460248
www.bsi.bund.de/shareddocs/download... WEB
https://www.bsi.bund.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/EN/BSI/Publications/Studies/Mailvelope_Extensions/Mailvelope_Extensions_pdf.html#download=1
www.npmjs.com/advisories/1160 WEB
https://www.npmjs.com/advisories/1160
Openpgp Security Information SECURITY
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/154191/OpenPGP.js-4.2.0-Signature-Bypass-Invalid-Curve-Attack.html

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2019-9153?
CVE-2019-9153 is a security vulnerability in Openpgp involving Message Signature Bypass in openpgp under CWE-347: Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature.
Which Openpgp versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 4.2.0 across affected packages: openpgp.
What version fixes CVE-2019-9153?
Upgrading to 4.2.0 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is openpgp affected?
Yes, openpgp is affected in releases prior to 4.2.0. Upgrade your dependency to 4.2.0 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2019-9153?
CVE-2019-9153 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2019-9153?
CVE-2019-9153 is classified under CWE-347: Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature (The product does not verify, or incorrectly verifies, the cryptographic signature for data.).
How can I check npm dependencies for CVE-2019-9153?
Run the dependency tree command: 'npm ls openpgp'. 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-qwqc-28w3-fww6",
  "modified" : "2021-08-17T22:06:12Z",
  "published" : "2019-08-23T21:42:20Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2019-9153" ],
  "summary" : "Message Signature Bypass in openpgp",
  "details" : "Versions of `openpgp` prior to 4.2.0 are vulnerable to Message Signature Bypass. The package fails to verify that a message signature is of type `text`. This allows an attacker to to construct a message with a signature type that only verifies subpackets without additional input (such as `standalone` or `timestamp`). For example, an attacker that captures a `standalone` signature packet from a victim can construct arbitrary signed messages that would be verified correctly.\n\n\n## Recommendation\n\nUpgrade to version 4.2.0 or later.\nIf you are upgrading from a version <4.0.0 it is highly recommended to read the `High-Level API Changes` section of the `openpgp` 4.0.0 release: https://github.com/openpgpjs/openpgpjs/releases/tag/v4.0.0",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "openpgp"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "4.2.0"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 4.1.2"
    }
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-9153"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openpgpjs/openpgpjs/pull/797/commits/327d3e5392a6f59a4270569d200c7f7a2bfc4cbc"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openpgpjs/openpgpjs/pull/816"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openpgpjs/openpgpjs/releases/tag/v4.2.0"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://sec-consult.com/en/blog/advisories/multiple-vulnerabilities-in-openpgp-js"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://snyk.io/vuln/SNYK-JS-OPENPGP-460248"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.bsi.bund.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/EN/BSI/Publications/Studies/Mailvelope_Extensions/Mailvelope_Extensions_pdf.html#download=1"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.npmjs.com/advisories/1160"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/154191/OpenPGP.js-4.2.0-Signature-Bypass-Invalid-Curve-Attack.html"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-347" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2019-08-23T21:40:54Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}