Skip to main content

CVE-2025-5279: CWE-295: Improper Certificate Validation in Amazon Redshift

High
VulnerabilityCVE-2025-5279cvecve-2025-5279cwe-295
Published: Tue May 27 2025 (05/27/2025, 20:17:21 UTC)
Source: CVE Database V5
Vendor/Project: Amazon
Product: Redshift

Description

When the Amazon Redshift Python Connector is configured with the BrowserAzureOAuth2CredentialsProvider plugin, the driver skips the SSL certificate validation step for the Identity Provider. An insecure connection could allow an actor to intercept the token exchange process and retrieve an access token. This issue has been addressed in driver version 2.1.7. Users should upgrade to address this issue and ensure any forked or derivative code is patched to incorporate the new fixes.

AI-Powered Analysis

AILast updated: 07/06/2025, 02:10:40 UTC

Technical Analysis

CVE-2025-5279 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting the Amazon Redshift Python Connector when it is configured to use the BrowserAzureOAuth2CredentialsProvider plugin. The core issue is an improper certificate validation (CWE-295) during the authentication process with the Identity Provider (IdP). Specifically, the driver skips the SSL certificate validation step, which is critical for establishing a secure TLS connection. This flaw allows an attacker positioned in a man-in-the-middle (MitM) role to intercept and manipulate the token exchange process between the client and the IdP. By exploiting this vulnerability, an attacker could capture the access token issued by the IdP, which is used for authenticating and authorizing access to Amazon Redshift resources. The compromised token could then be used to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data stored in Redshift clusters. The vulnerability affects version 2.0.872 of the Amazon Redshift Python Connector and has been addressed in version 2.1.7. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 7.0, reflecting a high severity due to the network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges or user interaction required, but with scope and impact limited to the confidentiality of the token. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, but the vulnerability poses a significant risk given the critical role of authentication tokens in cloud data access.

Potential Impact

For European organizations leveraging Amazon Redshift with the vulnerable Python Connector and Azure OAuth2 authentication, this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized data access and potential data breaches. The interception of access tokens compromises the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive business intelligence and analytics data stored in Redshift. This is particularly impactful for sectors with strict data protection regulations such as GDPR, including finance, healthcare, and government entities. A successful exploit could result in regulatory fines, reputational damage, and operational disruptions. Additionally, since the vulnerability allows token theft without requiring user interaction or privileges, it increases the risk of automated or opportunistic attacks from remote adversaries. Organizations relying on Azure AD for identity management in conjunction with Redshift are especially at risk, as the token exchange process is directly affected.

Mitigation Recommendations

European organizations should immediately upgrade the Amazon Redshift Python Connector to version 2.1.7 or later to ensure the SSL certificate validation flaw is patched. For environments using forked or customized versions of the connector, verify that the patch has been backported and integrated. Additionally, organizations should audit their authentication flows to confirm that all identity provider communications enforce strict TLS certificate validation. Network-level protections such as TLS interception detection and anomaly monitoring on authentication traffic can provide early warning of MitM attempts. Employing conditional access policies in Azure AD to restrict token issuance and monitoring token usage patterns can further reduce risk. Finally, organizations should review and tighten their logging and alerting around Redshift authentication events to detect suspicious access token usage promptly.

Need more detailed analysis?Get Pro

Technical Details

Data Version
5.1
Assigner Short Name
AMZN
Date Reserved
2025-05-27T15:12:06.044Z
Cvss Version
4.0
State
PUBLISHED

Threat ID: 6836206f182aa0cae223c47e

Added to database: 5/27/2025, 8:28:31 PM

Last enriched: 7/6/2025, 2:10:40 AM

Last updated: 8/8/2025, 12:28:04 AM

Views: 19

Actions

PRO

Updates to AI analysis are available only with a Pro account. Contact root@offseq.com for access.

Please log in to the Console to use AI analysis features.

Need enhanced features?

Contact root@offseq.com for Pro access with improved analysis and higher rate limits.

Latest Threats