CVE-2004-2708 in Gyach Enhanced
Summary
by MITRE
Gyach Enhanced (Gyach-E) before 1.0.0 stores passwords in plaintext, which allows attackers to obtain user passwords by reading the configuration file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/19/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-2708 affects Gyach Enhanced version 1.0.0 and earlier, representing a critical security flaw in password storage mechanisms. This issue stems from the application's improper handling of authentication credentials, where user passwords are stored in plaintext format within configuration files rather than being properly encrypted or hashed. The flaw demonstrates a fundamental failure in secure credential management practices, creating an immediate and severe risk for all users of the affected software. The vulnerability exists at the application level and directly impacts the confidentiality of user authentication data, making it a prime target for attackers seeking unauthorized access to user accounts.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the configuration file handling mechanism of Gyach-E, where password storage occurs without any form of cryptographic protection. When users enter their passwords for authentication purposes, the application fails to apply proper hashing algorithms or encryption methods before storing these credentials. Instead, the plaintext passwords are directly written to configuration files, which are typically stored in locations accessible to the application process. This design flaw allows any entity with access to the configuration file to immediately retrieve valid passwords, eliminating any form of security through obscurity. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-259 as "Use of Hard-coded Password" and also relates to CWE-312 as "Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Data," highlighting the severity of storing authentication credentials in an unencrypted format.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond individual user account compromise to potentially affect entire organizational security postures when the software is deployed in enterprise environments. Attackers can exploit this weakness through simple file system access or by leveraging other attack vectors that grant them access to the application's configuration directories. The vulnerability creates a persistent threat since compromised passwords remain valid indefinitely until manually changed, and the lack of proper password management makes it difficult for system administrators to detect unauthorized access attempts. This flaw particularly affects the confidentiality and integrity aspects of the CIA triad, as it allows unauthorized disclosure of sensitive authentication information and potentially enables further privilege escalation attacks. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1552.001, "Credentials In Files," which describes how adversaries can obtain credentials by accessing files containing stored authentication information.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2004-2708 require immediate implementation of proper password storage mechanisms within the affected application. Organizations should upgrade to Gyach-E version 1.0.0 or later, which presumably addresses this vulnerability through proper encryption or hashing of stored credentials. System administrators must conduct comprehensive audits of existing configuration files to identify any plaintext passwords and implement secure password management practices. The recommended approach involves implementing strong cryptographic hashing algorithms such as bcrypt, scrypt, or PBKDF2 for password storage, along with proper access controls on configuration files to limit read permissions to authorized processes only. Additionally, security policies should mandate that all authentication credentials are stored using industry-standard secure practices, including the use of salted hashes and proper key management techniques. Regular security assessments should be performed to ensure that no plaintext credentials are stored in application configuration files, and monitoring systems should be implemented to detect unauthorized access attempts to sensitive configuration data.