Bitdefender Total Security has been found vulnerable to multiple critical security flaws that expose users to Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attacks due to improper certificate validation in its HTTPS scanning functionality. These vulnerabilities, identified under several Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs), allow attackers to intercept and potentially alter communications between users and websites, posing significant risks to the confidentiality and integrity of user data. With a CVSS score of 8.6, these vulnerabilities are deemed highly severe, making them particularly concerning for users relying on Bitdefender for online security.
One of the key vulnerabilities, CVE-2023-6055, reveals that Bitdefender Total Security fails to adequately validate website certificates lacking the “Server Authentication” specification. This oversight allows attackers to perform MITM attacks by intercepting data exchanged between users and compromised sites. Another critical flaw, CVE-2023-6056, involves the insecure trust of self-signed certificates, where the software improperly accepts certificates signed with the RIPEMD-160 hashing algorithm. This enables attackers to establish SSL connections to arbitrary sites, further increasing the risk of data interception.
Additional vulnerabilities include CVE-2023-6057, which concerns the insecure trust of DSA-signed certificates, and CVE-2023-49567, which highlights the improper trust of certificates using outdated MD5 and SHA1 collision hash functions. These issues allow attackers to create rogue certificates that appear legitimate, facilitating MITM SSL connections to various sites. Another notable vulnerability, CVE-2023-49570, involves improper trust of certificates marked for “End Entity” use without ensuring the issuing entity’s authorization, thereby enabling further exploitation.
In response to these serious vulnerabilities, Bitdefender has promptly released an automatic update to version 27.0.25.115, addressing the identified flaws. Users are strongly advised to ensure their software is updated to this version or later to protect against potential exploitation. These vulnerabilities underscore the critical importance of proper certificate validation in cybersecurity products, as HTTPS scanning is a common feature in many security solutions. Ensuring robust validation processes is essential for maintaining user trust and safety in an increasingly complex online landscape.
