CVE-2002-1939 in FlashFXP
Summary
by MITRE
FlashFXP 1.4 prints FTP passwords in plaintext when there are transfers in the queue, which allows attackers to obtain FTP passwords of other users by editing the queue properties.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/10/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1939 represents a critical security flaw in FlashFXP version 1.4 that exposes sensitive authentication credentials through improper handling of queued FTP transfers. This issue falls under the category of information disclosure vulnerabilities and specifically manifests as a plaintext credential exposure problem that directly violates fundamental security principles of credential protection. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly sanitize or encrypt FTP password information stored within its queue management system, creating an exploitable condition that compromises user authentication security.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within the queue property editing functionality of FlashFXP, where the application displays FTP passwords in clear text format when users attempt to modify transfer queue settings. This flaw exists because the software does not implement proper access controls or credential obfuscation mechanisms when rendering queue properties to the user interface. Attackers can exploit this condition by simply accessing the queue management interface and modifying existing queue entries, thereby exposing plaintext passwords that would normally be protected through proper encryption or masking techniques. This represents a classic case of insufficient input validation and output encoding as described in CWE-20 and CWE-79 respectively, where the application fails to properly handle potentially sensitive data during user interaction.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, creating a broader security risk for organizations relying on FlashFXP for file transfer operations. When attackers gain access to plaintext FTP passwords, they can potentially escalate their privileges to gain unauthorized access to remote FTP servers, conduct man-in-the-middle attacks, or perform lateral movement within network environments. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects all users within the same FlashFXP instance, meaning that a single compromised user account could provide attackers with access to multiple FTP credentials simultaneously. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which describes credential access through exploitation of software vulnerabilities, and specifically targets the credential dumping category of attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate remediation through software updates and configuration changes. Users should immediately upgrade to patched versions of FlashFXP that implement proper credential obfuscation and access control mechanisms within the queue management system. Organizations should also implement network monitoring to detect unusual queue modification activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additional defensive measures include restricting file system access to FlashFXP configuration files, implementing proper user privilege controls, and establishing regular security audits of file transfer applications. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices such as those outlined in the OWASP Secure Coding Practices, particularly regarding credential handling and input sanitization. Furthermore, this issue highlights the need for proper application architecture design that prevents sensitive data exposure through user interfaces and configuration management systems.