CVE-2004-2555 in Foolproof Security
Summary
by MITRE
riverdeep foolproof security 3.9.x on windows 98 and windows me uses weak cryptography (arithmetic and xor operations) to relate the control password to the administrator password which allows local users to calculate the administrator password if they know the control password and password recovery key.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/19/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2004-2555 affects Riverdeep Foolproof Security version 3.9.x installations on legacy Windows 98 and Windows ME operating systems. This security flaw represents a significant weakness in the password protection mechanisms implemented by the software, specifically in how it handles password derivation and encryption processes. The vulnerability stems from the use of insufficient cryptographic methods that fail to provide adequate protection against reverse engineering attempts by unauthorized users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application of weak cryptographic algorithms including basic arithmetic and XOR operations to establish relationships between control passwords and administrator passwords. These methods lack the complexity and entropy required for secure password derivation, making them susceptible to mathematical reverse engineering. When a local user possesses both the control password and the password recovery key, they can exploit this weak implementation to compute the administrator password through straightforward computational processes rather than requiring brute force or sophisticated attack vectors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial for systems running the affected software, particularly in environments where local user access is possible or where security boundaries are not strictly enforced. An attacker with local access can escalate privileges by obtaining administrative control without requiring additional authentication factors or complex attack methodologies. This weakness effectively undermines the security model of the software by providing a direct path from a known credential to a more powerful administrative credential, creating a privilege escalation scenario that bypasses normal security controls.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-327, which addresses the use of weak cryptographic algorithms, and demonstrates poor implementation of cryptographic principles in password management systems. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this represents a privilege escalation technique that leverages weak cryptography to bypass authentication mechanisms. The attack requires only local access and knowledge of basic system credentials, making it particularly dangerous in environments where local user accounts are not properly restricted or monitored.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating to newer versions of the software that employ stronger cryptographic methods, restricting local user access where possible, and implementing additional security controls to monitor for unauthorized access attempts. The use of strong cryptographic algorithms such as those based on SHA-256 or higher should be mandated for any password derivation processes. System administrators should also consider implementing additional authentication layers and monitoring mechanisms to detect potential exploitation attempts of this vulnerability in legacy systems.