CVE-2019-9149 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

Mailvelope prior to version 3.3.0 had security vulnerabilities that allowed unauthorized private key operations and decryption of messages. Attackers could exploit these flaws to sign, encrypt, and decrypt messages without user interaction.

Understanding CVE-2019-9149

Before version 3.3.0, Mailvelope had critical security vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers to manipulate private key operations and decrypt messages.

What is CVE-2019-9149?

Mailvelope prior to version 3.3.0 allowed private key operations without user interaction via its client-API.
Attackers could manipulate a URL parameter to sign and encrypt arbitrary messages if the private key password was cached.
Another vulnerability allowed decryption of any message when the GnuPG backend was used in Mailvelope.

The Impact of CVE-2019-9149

Attackers could perform unauthorized private key operations and decrypt messages without user consent.
Security of encrypted communications using Mailvelope could be compromised.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-9149

Mailvelope's security vulnerability details and affected systems.

Vulnerability Description

Mailvelope prior to version 3.3.0 allowed unauthorized private key operations and message decryption.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: n/a
Vendor: n/a
Versions affected: <3.3.0

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers could exploit a parameter in the URL to manipulate private key operations and decrypt messages.

Mitigation and Prevention

Steps to mitigate and prevent exploitation of CVE-2019-9149.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Mailvelope to version 3.3.0 or newer to patch the security vulnerabilities.
Avoid saving private key passwords in the cache to prevent unauthorized operations.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and security patches to protect against known vulnerabilities.
Implement secure password management practices to safeguard private keys.

Patching and Updates

Install updates and patches provided by Mailvelope to address the security vulnerabilities.