CVE-2005-1097 in p2p share spy
Summary
by MITRE
rebrand p2p share spy 2.2 stores the user password in plaintext in the txtpassword value in the registry which allows local users to gain privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/23/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1097 resides within the rebrand p2p share spy 2.2 software, a peer-to-peer file sharing application that was prevalent during the mid-2000s era of internet communication. This particular security flaw demonstrates a critical weakness in how the application handles user authentication credentials, specifically storing passwords in an unencrypted format within the Windows registry. The vulnerability occurs at the system level where the application creates a registry entry named txtpassword, which contains the user's password in plaintext format rather than implementing any form of cryptographic protection or obfuscation. This design choice fundamentally undermines the security posture of the application and creates a significant attack surface for local adversaries who possess access to the system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from poor secure coding practices and a lack of understanding regarding proper credential storage mechanisms. When the application initializes and processes user authentication, it fails to implement any form of password encryption or hashing, instead choosing to store the raw password string directly in the registry. This approach violates fundamental security principles and represents a classic example of insecure data storage as classified under CWE-312. The registry entry txtpassword becomes a persistent storage location that remains accessible to any local user with sufficient privileges to read the Windows registry, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where unauthorized individuals might gain access to the system through legitimate means.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential exposure, as it provides local users with the capability to escalate their privileges within the system. When an attacker gains access to the plaintext password stored in the registry, they can leverage this information to authenticate as the legitimate user, potentially accessing sensitive files, network resources, or system configurations that were previously protected. This vulnerability also creates a persistent threat vector that remains active until the application is uninstalled or the registry entry is manually removed, making it particularly concerning for systems where multiple users share the same machine or where the application runs with elevated privileges. The attack surface is further expanded because the vulnerability affects all local users who have access to the registry, regardless of whether they have administrative rights, as the plaintext password is stored in a location accessible to any user with basic system access.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate remediation through application updates or patches that implement proper password encryption and secure credential storage mechanisms. Organizations should conduct comprehensive system audits to identify all instances of the vulnerable software and ensure that the registry entries containing plaintext passwords are removed or secured. The implementation of registry access controls through Windows security policies can provide additional protection by restricting access to sensitive registry keys. From a broader security perspective, this vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and implementing proper input validation and credential handling mechanisms. The issue aligns with ATT&CK technique T1555.003 which covers credential access through registry modification, and represents a failure to implement basic security controls that would prevent such information disclosure. System administrators should also consider implementing monitoring solutions that can detect unauthorized access attempts to registry keys containing sensitive information, as well as establish regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in legacy software systems.