[Bug 1036839] Re: Quantal software-properties incorrectly validating ssl certs

[Launchpad Bug Tracker]

** Branch linked: lp:~mathieu-tl/software-properties/lp1036839

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1036839

Title:
  Quantal software-properties incorrectly validating ssl certs

Status in “software-properties” package in Ubuntu:
  In Progress

Bug description:
  The python3 migration of software-properties causes it to incorrectly
  validate ssl certificates, leading to a MITM being able to compromise
  a remote system. It basically reverts the fix for LP: 915210.

  from softwareproperties/ppa.py:

  <snip>
  # None means use the system default SSL store.
  # Otherwise a path to a file is expected (as a bundle of certs)
  LAUNCHPAD_PPA_CERT = None
  <snip>
      try:
          lp_page = urllib2.urlopen(request, cafile=LAUNCHPAD_PPA_CERT)
      except TypeError:
          lp_page = urllib2.urlopen(request)

  When running under python2, urllib2 does _not_ do ssl certificate checking.
  When running under python3, urllib.request _does_ do ssl certificate checking, but only if the cafile points to a valid certificate bundle. Contrary to the comment in the code, setting it to None means it's not checking ssl certificates _at all_.

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