Summary
xml-crypto vulnerable to XML signature verification bypass due improper verification of signature/signature spoofing
Default configuration does not check authorization of the signer, it only checks the validity of the signature per section 3.2.2 of https://www.w3.org/TR/2008/REC-xmldsig-core-20080610/#sec-CoreValidation. As such, without additional validation steps, the default configuration allows a malicious actor to re-sign an XML document, place the certificate in a <KeyInfo /> element, and pass xml-crypto default validation checks.
Details
Affected xml-crypto versions between versions >= 4.0.0 and < 6.0.0.
xml-crypto trusts by default any certificate provided via digitally signed XML document's <KeyInfo />.
xml-crypto prefers to use any certificate provided via digitally signed XML document's <KeyInfo /> even if library was configured to use specific certificate (publicCert) for signature verification purposes.
Attacker can spoof signature verification by modifying XML document and replacing existing signature with signature generated with malicious private key (created by attacker) and by attaching that private key's certificate to <KeyInfo /> element.
Vulnerability is combination of changes introduced to 4.0.0 at
- https://github.com/node-saml/xml-crypto/pull/301
- https://github.com/node-saml/xml-crypto/commit/c2b83f984049edb68ad1d7c6ad0739ec92af11ca
Changes at PR provided default method to extract certificate from signed XML document.
- https://github.com/node-saml/xml-crypto/blob/c2b83f984049edb68ad1d7c6ad0739ec92af11ca/lib/signed-xml.js#L405-L414
- https://github.com/node-saml/xml-crypto/blob/c2b83f984049edb68ad1d7c6ad0739ec92af11ca/lib/signed-xml.js#L334
and changes at PR prefer output of that method to be used as certificate for signature verification even in the case when library is configured to use specific/pre-configured signingCert
Name of the signingCert was changed later (but prior to 4.0.0 release) to publicCert:
- https://github.com/node-saml/xml-crypto/commit/78329fbae34c9b25ba25882604e960f506d7c0e7
- https://github.com/node-saml/xml-crypto/blob/78329fbae34c9b25ba25882604e960f506d7c0e7/lib/signed-xml.js#L507
Issue was fixed to 6.0.0 by disabling implicit usage of default getCertFromKeyInfo implementation:
- https://github.com/node-saml/xml-crypto/pull/445
- https://github.com/node-saml/xml-crypto/commit/21201723d2ca9bc11288f62cf72552b7d659b000
Possible workarounds for versions 4.x and 5.x:
- Check the certificate extracted via
getCertFromKeyInfoagainst trusted certificates before accepting the results of the validation. - Set
xml-crypto'sgetCertFromKeyInfoto() => undefinedforcingxml-cryptoto use an explicitly configuredpublicCertorprivateKeyfor signature verification.
PoC
Impact
An untrusted certificate can be used to pass a malicious XML payload through an improperly configured installation of xml-crypto.
CVE-2024-32962 has a CVSS score of 10.0 (Critical). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (6.0.0); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2024-32962? CVE-2024-32962 is a critical-severity security vulnerability in xml-crypto (npm), affecting versions >= 4.0.0, < 6.0.0. It is fixed in 6.0.0.
- How severe is CVE-2024-32962? CVE-2024-32962 has a CVSS score of 10.0 (Critical). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of xml-crypto are affected by CVE-2024-32962? xml-crypto (npm) versions >= 4.0.0, < 6.0.0 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2024-32962? Yes. CVE-2024-32962 is fixed in 6.0.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2024-32962 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2024-32962 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2024-32962 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2024-32962? Upgrade
xml-cryptoto 6.0.0 or later.