Vulnerabilities > CVE-2008-0166 - Use of Cryptographically Weak Pseudo-Random Number Generator (PRNG) vulnerability in multiple products
Attack vector
NETWORK Attack complexity
LOW Privileges required
NONE Confidentiality impact
HIGH Integrity impact
NONE Availability impact
NONE Summary
OpenSSL 0.9.8c-1 up to versions before 0.9.8g-9 on Debian-based operating systems uses a random number generator that generates predictable numbers, which makes it easier for remote attackers to conduct brute force guessing attacks against cryptographic keys.
Vulnerable Configurations
| Part | Description | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Application | 5 | |
| OS | 4 | |
| OS | 1 |
Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE)
Exploit-Db
description Debian OpenSSL Predictable PRNG Bruteforce SSH Exploit (Python). CVE-2008-0166. Remote exploit for linux platform file exploits/linux/remote/5720.py id EDB-ID:5720 last seen 2016-01-31 modified 2008-06-01 platform linux port 22 published 2008-06-01 reporter WarCat team source https://www.exploit-db.com/download/5720/ title Debian OpenSSL - Predictable PRNG Bruteforce SSH Exploit Python type remote id EDB-ID:5622 id EDB-ID:5632
Nessus
NASL family Gain a shell remotely NASL id SSL_DEBIAN_WEAK.NASL description The remote x509 certificate on the remote SSL server has been generated on a Debian or Ubuntu system which contains a bug in the random number generator of its OpenSSL library. The problem is due to a Debian packager removing nearly all sources of entropy in the remote version of OpenSSL. An attacker can easily obtain the private part of the remote key and use this to decipher the remote session or set up a man in the middle attack. last seen 2020-03-18 modified 2008-05-15 plugin id 32321 published 2008-05-15 reporter This script is Copyright (C) 2008-2018 Tenable Network Security, Inc. source https://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/32321 title Debian OpenSSH/OpenSSL Package Random Number Generator Weakness (SSL check) NASL family Ubuntu Local Security Checks NASL id UBUNTU_USN-612-1.NASL description A weakness has been discovered in the random number generator used by OpenSSL on Debian and Ubuntu systems. As a result of this weakness, certain encryption keys are much more common than they should be, such that an attacker could guess the key through a brute-force attack given minimal knowledge of the system. This particularly affects the use of encryption keys in OpenSSH, OpenVPN and SSL certificates. This vulnerability only affects operating systems which (like Ubuntu) are based on Debian. However, other systems can be indirectly affected if weak keys are imported into them. We consider this an extremely serious vulnerability, and urge all users to act immediately to secure their systems. (CVE-2008-0166) == Who is affected == Systems which are running any of the following releases : * Ubuntu 7.04 (Feisty) * Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy) * Ubuntu 8.04 LTS (Hardy) * Ubuntu last seen 2020-06-01 modified 2020-06-02 plugin id 65108 published 2013-03-09 reporter Ubuntu Security Notice (C) 2013-2019 Canonical, Inc. / NASL script (C) 2018 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof. source https://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/65108 title Ubuntu 7.04 / 7.10 / 8.04 LTS : openssl vulnerability (USN-612-1) NASL family Debian Local Security Checks NASL id DEBIAN_DSA-1576.NASL description The recently announced vulnerability in Debian last seen 2020-06-01 modified 2020-06-02 plugin id 32377 published 2008-05-19 reporter This script is Copyright (C) 2008-2019 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof. source https://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/32377 title Debian DSA-1576-1 : openssh - predictable random number generator NASL family Ubuntu Local Security Checks NASL id UBUNTU_USN-612-3.NASL description A weakness has been discovered in the random number generator used by OpenSSL on Debian and Ubuntu systems. As a result of this weakness, certain encryption keys are much more common than they should be, such that an attacker could guess the key through a brute-force attack given minimal knowledge of the system. This particularly affects the use of shared encryption keys and SSL/TLS certificates in OpenVPN. This vulnerability only affects operating systems which (like Ubuntu) are based on Debian. However, other systems can be indirectly affected if weak keys are imported into them. We consider this an extremely serious vulnerability, and urge all users to act immediately to secure their systems. Note that Tenable Network Security has extracted the preceding description block directly from the Ubuntu security advisory. Tenable has attempted to automatically clean and format it as much as possible without introducing additional issues. last seen 2020-06-01 modified 2020-06-02 plugin id 32357 published 2008-05-16 reporter Ubuntu Security Notice (C) 2008-2019 Canonical, Inc. / NASL script (C) 2018 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof. source https://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/32357 title Ubuntu 7.04 / 7.10 / 8.04 LTS : openvpn vulnerability (USN-612-3) NASL family Ubuntu Local Security Checks NASL id UBUNTU_USN-612-5.NASL description Matt Zimmerman discovered that entries in ~/.ssh/authorized_keys with options (such as last seen 2020-06-01 modified 2020-06-02 plugin id 32359 published 2008-05-16 reporter Ubuntu Security Notice (C) 2008-2019 Canonical, Inc. / NASL script (C) 2018 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof. source https://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/32359 title Ubuntu 7.04 / 7.10 / 8.04 LTS : openssh update (USN-612-5) NASL family Gain a shell remotely NASL id SSH_DEBIAN_FIND_WEAK_KEYS.NASL description The remote host has one or more ~/.ssh/authorized_keys files containing weak SSH public keys generated on a Debian or Ubuntu system. The problem is due to a Debian packager removing nearly all sources of entropy in the remote version of OpenSSL. This problem does not only affect Debian since any user uploading a weak SSH key into the ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file will compromise the security of the remote system. An attacker could try a brute-force attack against the remote host and logon using these weak keys. last seen 2020-03-18 modified 2008-05-15 plugin id 32320 published 2008-05-15 reporter This script is Copyright (C) 2008-2019 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof. source https://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/32320 title Weak Debian OpenSSH Keys in ~/.ssh/authorized_keys NASL family Gain a shell remotely NASL id SSH_DEBIAN_WEAK.NASL description The remote SSH host key has been generated on a Debian or Ubuntu system which contains a bug in the random number generator of its OpenSSL library. The problem is due to a Debian packager removing nearly all sources of entropy in the remote version of OpenSSL. An attacker can easily obtain the private part of the remote key and use this to set up decipher the remote session or set up a man in the middle attack. last seen 2020-03-18 modified 2008-05-14 plugin id 32314 published 2008-05-14 reporter This script is Copyright (C) 2008-2018 Tenable Network Security, Inc. source https://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/32314 title Debian OpenSSH/OpenSSL Package Random Number Generator Weakness NASL family Ubuntu Local Security Checks NASL id UBUNTU_USN-612-4.NASL description USN-612-1 fixed vulnerabilities in openssl. This update provides the corresponding updates for ssl-cert -- potentially compromised snake-oil SSL certificates will be regenerated. A weakness has been discovered in the random number generator used by OpenSSL on Debian and Ubuntu systems. As a result of this weakness, certain encryption keys are much more common than they should be, such that an attacker could guess the key through a brute-force attack given minimal knowledge of the system. This particularly affects the use of encryption keys in OpenSSH, OpenVPN and SSL certificates. This vulnerability only affects operating systems which (like Ubuntu) are based on Debian. However, other systems can be indirectly affected if weak keys are imported into them. We consider this an extremely serious vulnerability, and urge all users to act immediately to secure their systems. (CVE-2008-0166) == Who is affected == Systems which are running any of the following releases : * Ubuntu 7.04 (Feisty) * Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy) * Ubuntu 8.04 LTS (Hardy) * Ubuntu last seen 2020-06-01 modified 2020-06-02 plugin id 32358 published 2008-05-16 reporter Ubuntu Security Notice (C) 2008-2019 Canonical, Inc. / NASL script (C) 2018 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof. source https://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/32358 title Ubuntu 7.04 / 7.10 / 8.04 LTS : ssl-cert vulnerability (USN-612-4) NASL family Ubuntu Local Security Checks NASL id UBUNTU_USN-612-7.NASL description USN-612-2 introduced protections for OpenSSH, related to the OpenSSL vulnerabilities addressed by USN-612-1. This update provides the corresponding updates for OpenSSH in Ubuntu 6.06 LTS. While the OpenSSL in Ubuntu 6.06 is not vulnerable, this update will block weak keys generated on systems that may have been affected themselves. A weakness has been discovered in the random number generator used by OpenSSL on Debian and Ubuntu systems. As a result of this weakness, certain encryption keys are much more common than they should be, such that an attacker could guess the key through a brute-force attack given minimal knowledge of the system. This particularly affects the use of encryption keys in OpenSSH, OpenVPN and SSL certificates. Note that Tenable Network Security has extracted the preceding description block directly from the Ubuntu security advisory. Tenable has attempted to automatically clean and format it as much as possible without introducing additional issues. last seen 2020-06-01 modified 2020-06-02 plugin id 32430 published 2008-05-22 reporter Ubuntu Security Notice (C) 2008-2019 Canonical, Inc. / NASL script (C) 2018 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof. source https://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/32430 title Ubuntu 6.06 LTS : openssh update (USN-612-7) NASL family Ubuntu Local Security Checks NASL id UBUNTU_USN-612-2.NASL description A weakness has been discovered in the random number generator used by OpenSSL on Debian and Ubuntu systems. As a result of this weakness, certain encryption keys are much more common than they should be, such that an attacker could guess the key through a brute-force attack given minimal knowledge of the system. This particularly affects the use of encryption keys in OpenSSH. This vulnerability only affects operating systems which (like Ubuntu) are based on Debian. However, other systems can be indirectly affected if weak keys are imported into them. We consider this an extremely serious vulnerability, and urge all users to act immediately to secure their systems. Note that Tenable Network Security has extracted the preceding description block directly from the Ubuntu security advisory. Tenable has attempted to automatically clean and format it as much as possible without introducing additional issues. last seen 2020-06-01 modified 2020-06-02 plugin id 65109 published 2013-03-09 reporter Ubuntu Security Notice (C) 2013-2019 Canonical, Inc. / NASL script (C) 2018 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof. source https://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/65109 title Ubuntu 7.04 / 7.10 / 8.04 LTS : openssh vulnerability (USN-612-2) NASL family Debian Local Security Checks NASL id DEBIAN_DSA-1571.NASL description Luciano Bello discovered that the random number generator in Debian last seen 2020-06-01 modified 2020-06-02 plugin id 32305 published 2008-05-13 reporter This script is Copyright (C) 2008-2019 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof. source https://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/32305 title Debian DSA-1571-1 : openssl - predictable random number generator
Statements
| contributor | Mark J Cox |
| lastmodified | 2008-05-13 |
| organization | Red Hat |
| statement | Not vulnerable. This flaw was caused by a third-party vendor patch to the OpenSSL library. This patch has never been used by Red Hat, and this issue therefore does not affect any Fedora, Red Hat, or upstream supplied OpenSSL packages. |
References
- http://www.debian.org/security/2008/dsa-1571
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-612-1
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-612-2
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/29179
- http://metasploit.com/users/hdm/tools/debian-openssl/
- http://www.debian.org/security/2008/dsa-1576
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-612-3
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-612-4
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-612-7
- http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/925211
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1020017
- http://secunia.com/advisories/30220
- http://secunia.com/advisories/30221
- http://secunia.com/advisories/30231
- http://secunia.com/advisories/30239
- http://secunia.com/advisories/30249
- http://secunia.com/advisories/30136
- http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?thread_name=48367252.7070603%40shemesh.biz&forum_name=rsyncrypto-devel
- http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA08-137A.html
- https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/42375
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/5720
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/5632
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/5622
- http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/492112/100/0/threaded
- https://16years.secvuln.info
- https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40333169