KRB-FTP: Security level downgrade
None
C
curl
Submitted None
Actions:
Reported by
nyymi
Vulnerability Details
Technical details and impact analysis
## Summary:
libcurl doesn't fail the FTP connection if Kerberos authentication fails for some reason, but rather reverts back to using regular clear text password authentication.
The logic is in`lib/ftp.c` `ftp_statemachine`: https://github.com/curl/curl/blob/07a9b89fedaec60bdbc254f23f66149b31d2f8da/lib/ftp.c#L2706
This means that active attacker in a man in the middle position can downgrade any attempt to use Kerberos FTP to regular one by merely forcing the Kerberos authentication to fail.
The more secure course of action would be to fail the FTP connection if Kerberos authentication fails. If such change is not deemed necessary the current limitations should be documented.
## Steps To Reproduce:
1. MitM the connection and make the kerberos authentication fail
2. `curl --krb private ftp://victim.tld/`
## Impact
- Security level downgrade.
Report Details
Additional information and metadata
State
Closed
Substate
Not-Applicable
Submitted
Weakness
Business Logic Errors