# CVE-2012-0214: Security feature bypass in n/a

> Man-in-the-middle attackers can install arbitrary packages by blocking InRelease file updates, bypassing signature verification in APT.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.3 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 15 Apr 2014
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2012-0214, GHSA-5h75-gqf7-227h

## What is CVE-2012-0214?

CVE-2012-0214 is a medium-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 15 Apr 2014. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

The pkgAcqMetaClearSig::Failed method in apt-pkg/acquire-item.cc in Advanced Package Tool (APT) 0.8.11 through 0.8.15.10 and 0.8.16 before 0.8.16~exp13, when updating from repositories that use InRelease files, allows man-in-the-middle attackers to install arbitrary packages by preventing a user from downloading the new InRelease file, which leaves the original InRelease file active and makes it more difficult to detect that the Packages file is modified and unsigned.

Weakness: CWE-264

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2012-0214?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Advanced Package Tool Advanced Package Tool.

## How do I fix CVE-2012-0214?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2012-0214 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2012-0214 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2012-0214 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2012-0214 is a medium-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 15 Apr 2014. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2012-0214 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-0214/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-0214/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-0214
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-0214
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2012-0214

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-0214/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.