# CVE-2014-3596: Improper Validation of Certificates in apache axis > Man-in-the-middle attackers can spoof SSL servers by exploiting improper hostname verification in Apache Axis, bypassing certificate validation. - **Severity:** Medium 5.8 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:N`) - **Exploited in the wild:** Not known - **Login needed:** Not needed - **Attackable:** Over the internet - **Victim action needed:** Not needed - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 27 Aug 2014 - **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024 - **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2014-3596, GHSA-r53v-vm87-f72c, MGASA-2014-0549, RHSA-2014:1193 ## What is CVE-2014-3596? CVE-2014-3596 is a medium-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 27 Aug 2014. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim. ### Official description The getCN function in Apache Axis 1.4 and earlier does not properly verify that the server hostname matches a domain name in the subject's Common Name (CN) or subjectAltName field of the X.509 certificate, which allows man-in-the-middle attackers to spoof SSL servers via a certificate with a subject that specifies a common name in a field that is not the CN field. NOTE: this issue exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2012-5784. ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2014-3596? 4 open source packages ship an affected version, including axis:axis and org.apache.axis:axis. It affects 1 product. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `axis:axis` | Maven | All versions to 1.4 | None | | `axis:axis` | Maven | All versions to 1.4 | None | | `org.apache.axis:axis` | Maven | All versions to 1.4 | None | | `org.apache.axis:axis` | Maven | All versions to 1.4 | None | | `axis` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | All versions | 0:1.2.1-2jpp.8.el5_10 | | `axis-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | All versions | 0:1.2.1-2jpp.8.el5_10 | | `axis` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client_workstation | All versions | 0:1.2.1-2jpp.8.el5_10 | | `axis-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client_workstation | All versions | 0:1.2.1-2jpp.8.el5_10 | | `axis-javadoc` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client_workstation | All versions | 0:1.2.1-2jpp.8.el5_10 | | `axis-manual` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client_workstation | All versions | 0:1.2.1-2jpp.8.el5_10 | | `axis` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::server | All versions | 0:1.2.1-2jpp.8.el5_10 | | `axis-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::server | All versions | 0:1.2.1-2jpp.8.el5_10 | | `axis-javadoc` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::server | All versions | 0:1.2.1-2jpp.8.el5_10 | | `axis-manual` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::server | All versions | 0:1.2.1-2jpp.8.el5_10 | | `axis` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | All versions | 0:1.2.1-7.5.el6_5 | | `axis-javadoc` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | All versions | 0:1.2.1-7.5.el6_5 | | `axis-manual` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | All versions | 0:1.2.1-7.5.el6_5 | | `axis` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::computenode | All versions | 0:1.2.1-7.5.el6_5 | | `axis-javadoc` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::computenode | All versions | 0:1.2.1-7.5.el6_5 | | `axis-manual` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::computenode | All versions | 0:1.2.1-7.5.el6_5 | | `axis` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::server | All versions | 0:1.2.1-7.5.el6_5 | | `axis-javadoc` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::server | All versions | 0:1.2.1-7.5.el6_5 | | `axis-manual` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::server | All versions | 0:1.2.1-7.5.el6_5 | | `axis` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::workstation | All versions | 0:1.2.1-7.5.el6_5 | | `axis-javadoc` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::workstation | All versions | 0:1.2.1-7.5.el6_5 | | `axis-manual` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::workstation | All versions | 0:1.2.1-7.5.el6_5 | Products: Apache Axis. ## How do I fix CVE-2014-3596? Upgrade to a fixed version. ## Is CVE-2014-3596 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2014-3596 in the wild and no public exploit code. ## Other vulnerabilities in n/a - [CVE-2023-40743](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-40743/): Apache Axis 1.x (EOL) may allow RCE when untrusted input is passed to getService (critical 9.8) - [CVE-2019-0227](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-0227/): Server Side Request Forgery in Apache Axis (high 7.5) - [CVE-2023-51441](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-51441/): Apache Axis 1.x (EOL) may allow SSRF when untrusted input is passed to the service admin HTTP API (high 7.2) - [CVE-2018-8032](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8032/): Moderate severity vulnerability that affects apache axis (medium 6.1) - [CVE-2007-2353](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-2353/): Apache Axis allows Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor (medium 5.0) ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2014-3596 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2014-3596 is a medium-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 27 Aug 2014. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim. Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2014-3596 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected packages and fixed versions: - axis:axis (Maven): affected all versions up to 1.4; no fix listed - axis:axis (Maven): affected all versions up to 1.4; no fix listed - org.apache.axis:axis (Maven): affected all versions up to 1.4; no fix listed - org.apache.axis:axis (Maven): affected all versions up to 1.4; no fix listed 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-2014-3596/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-3596/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2014-3596 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2014-3596 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2014-3596 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-3596/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.