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Secure Elements Class 5 AVR uses the same encryption key and initialization vector for every message session

Vulnerability Note VU#346377

Original Release Date: 2006-05-30 | Last Revised: 2006-05-30

Overview

Secure Elements Class 5 AVR uses the same encryption key and initialization vector for every message session. This may allow an attacker to discover some information about encrypted messages.

Description

Class 5 AVR

Secure Elements Class 5 AVR (Automated Vulnerability Remediation) is a security product that monitors and enforces security policies on network assets. Class 5 AVR is now known as C5 EVM (Enterprise Vulnerability Management). The Class 5 AVR software includes both server and client components.

Class 5 AVR client

The Class 5 AVR client listens on 60000/udp and an additional tcp port. This client receives commands sent by the Class 5 AVR server.

Class 5 AVR server

The Class 5 AVR server is available as an appliance or as software that runs on commodity hardware. The Class 5 AVR server contains information about network assets, vulnerabilities, and remediation history.

The problem

Class 5 AVR uses the same encryption key and initialization vector for every message session.

Impact

An attacker may be able to discover some information about encrypted messages.

Solution

We are currently unaware of a practical solution to this problem.

Vendor Information

346377
 
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Secure Elements Affected

Notified:  February 06, 2006 Updated: May 30, 2006

Status

Affected

Vendor Statement

Remediation in C5 EVM version 2.8.1 and above

No change in the 2.8.n release. While it is preferable that the initialization vector be randomly selected for each encrypted session, the selection of a new encryption key to obscure data patterns in successive sessions is a minimal risk. This risk is not applicable in future 3.n.n releases.

Vendor Information

The vendor has not provided us with any further information regarding this vulnerability.


CVSS Metrics

Group Score Vector
Base
Temporal
Environmental

References

http://www.secure-elements.com/products/index.htm

Acknowledgements

Thanks to the NCIRT lab for reporting this vulnerability.

This document was written by Will Dormann.

Other Information

CVE IDs: None
Severity Metric: 0.12
Date Public: 2006-05-30
Date First Published: 2006-05-30
Date Last Updated: 2006-05-30 20:52 UTC
Document Revision: 7

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