CVE-2003-1483 in FlashFXP
Summary
by MITRE
FlashFXP 1.4 uses a weak encryption algorithm for user passwords, which allows attackers to decrypt the passwords and gain access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/17/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2003-1483 affects FlashFXP version 1.4, a popular file transfer client that was widely used for managing ftp connections. This issue represents a critical security flaw in the application's password handling mechanism, specifically concerning how user credentials are stored and protected. The vulnerability stems from the application's implementation of weak cryptographic practices that fail to provide adequate protection for sensitive authentication data.
FlashFXP 1.4 employs a weak encryption algorithm for storing user passwords, which fundamentally compromises the security of the authentication system. This weakness allows attackers to reverse-engineer or decrypt stored passwords without requiring advanced cryptographic attacks or significant computational resources. The implementation violates basic security principles for credential storage, as it fails to utilize industry-standard encryption methods such as salted hash functions or strong symmetric encryption algorithms. This flaw represents a classic example of poor cryptographic implementation that directly impacts user account security.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it enables attackers to gain unauthorized access to ftp servers that users have configured within the FlashFXP application. Once an attacker successfully decrypts stored passwords, they can impersonate legitimate users and potentially access sensitive data, modify files, or execute malicious activities on the targeted ftp servers. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where users store multiple ftp connections with varying levels of access permissions, as compromise of one credential could lead to broader system infiltration. The attack vector is relatively straightforward, requiring only access to the FlashFXP configuration files where encrypted passwords are stored.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-327, which addresses the use of weak cryptographic algorithms, and represents a failure to implement proper password storage mechanisms. The flaw also connects to ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers credential harvesting through various means including exploitation of weak encryption. Organizations using FlashFXP 1.4 should immediately implement mitigation strategies including updating to newer versions of the software, manually rotating all stored passwords, and implementing additional authentication controls such as two-factor authentication. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper cryptographic implementation and highlights the risks associated with legacy software that has not received security updates over extended periods. System administrators should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts following potential exploitation of this weakness, as the decrypted credentials could enable persistent access to ftp resources.