CVE-2001-1464 in Crystal Reports
Summary
by MITRE
Crystal Reports, when displaying data for a password protected database using HTML pages, embeds the username and password in cleartext in the HTML page and the URL, which allows remote attackers to obtain passwords.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/17/2024
This vulnerability exists in Crystal Reports software version 7.0 and earlier, where the application fails to properly secure authentication credentials when generating HTML reports for password-protected databases. The flaw manifests when the software creates HTML output that contains database connection parameters including both username and password in plaintext format, making these credentials accessible to any attacker who can intercept or access the generated HTML content. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and output encoding practices within the report generation engine, specifically when handling database connection strings that are embedded directly into the HTML markup without adequate sanitization or encryption.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows remote attackers to obtain database credentials through multiple attack vectors including network sniffing of HTTP traffic, server-side log file analysis, or direct access to generated HTML files. When Crystal Reports processes database connections for HTML report generation, it stores the full connection string including authentication details within the HTML page source code, which can be retrieved by any user who has access to the generated content. This represents a fundamental failure in secure coding practices and violates the principle of least privilege by exposing sensitive authentication information in an unencrypted format. The vulnerability is classified as a cleartext storage of credentials issue that directly maps to CWE-312 and CWE-522, as it exposes sensitive data through insecure data handling mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for organizations using Crystal Reports for database reporting, as successful exploitation can lead to unauthorized database access and potential data breaches. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gain access to sensitive corporate data stored in password-protected databases, potentially leading to information disclosure, data manipulation, or complete system compromise depending on the database permissions assigned to the compromised credentials. The vulnerability affects both web-based and desktop deployments of Crystal Reports, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through various network access points. This weakness creates a persistent security risk that can be exploited by attackers with minimal technical expertise, as the credentials are readily available in the HTML source code without requiring complex exploitation techniques.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to Crystal Reports version 8.0 or later where this vulnerability has been addressed, implementing network segmentation to limit access to report generation systems, and configuring web servers to properly sanitize and encrypt database connection information. Security measures should include disabling HTML report generation for sensitive databases, implementing proper access controls on generated HTML content, and monitoring for unauthorized access attempts to report files. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing application-level firewalls and web application security controls to detect and prevent credential exposure in HTTP requests. The mitigation strategies should align with NIST SP 800-53 security controls and ATT&CK techniques related to credential access and defense evasion, specifically targeting T1555.003 for credentials in files and T1071.004 for application layer protocols. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to prevent similar issues in custom applications that handle database connections and authentication information.