CVE-2005-1424 in gotext
Summary
by MITRE
stumbleinside gotext 1.01 stores sensitive username mail addressand phone number information in plaintext in the gotext.bin file which allows local users to obtain that information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/08/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-1424 represents a critical security flaw in the stumbleinside gotext 1.01 application that demonstrates poor data handling practices and inadequate protection of sensitive information. This issue specifically affects the application's storage mechanism where personal identification data including email addresses and phone numbers are persisted in an unencrypted format within the gotext.bin file. The vulnerability falls under the category of insecure data storage as defined by CWE-312, which specifically addresses the exposure of sensitive data through improper storage mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this flaw occurs at the application level where the developers failed to implement proper encryption or access controls for sensitive data storage. When the application processes user information, it writes this data directly to the filesystem without any form of cryptographic protection, creating a persistent exposure that remains accessible to any local user with appropriate filesystem permissions. This represents a fundamental failure in the application's security architecture and violates established security principles for handling personally identifiable information. The plaintext storage approach creates an attack surface that allows unauthorized local access to sensitive user data, effectively eliminating any form of data protection that might otherwise be provided by the application's security model.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations and individuals using the affected application. Local users who gain access to the system can trivially extract sensitive information from the gotext.bin file, potentially leading to identity theft, social engineering attacks, or other malicious activities. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure as this data can be used to compromise user accounts, facilitate phishing attacks, or enable broader reconnaissance activities. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects data that is inherently sensitive and personal, including contact information that users might not expect to be stored in an unencrypted format.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with ATT&CK technique T1531 which focuses on establishing persistence and maintaining access to systems through the exploitation of weak storage mechanisms. Organizations should consider implementing proper access controls and encryption mechanisms to protect sensitive data at rest, as outlined in security frameworks such as NIST SP 800-53 and ISO/IEC 27001. The recommended mitigations include implementing strong encryption for sensitive data storage, enforcing proper file permissions, and conducting regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in application data handling practices. Additionally, developers should follow secure coding guidelines that emphasize protecting sensitive information through proper data encryption and access control mechanisms to prevent similar issues from occurring in future software implementations.