CVE-2005-2990 in Java Client
Summary
by MITRE
authinfo.java in linecontol java client (jlc) before 0.8.1 stores sensitive information such as user passwords in log files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/13/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-2990 represents a critical security flaw in the linecontol java client software, specifically within the authinfo.java component. This issue affects versions prior to 0.8.1 and demonstrates a fundamental weakness in how sensitive authentication data is handled within the application's logging mechanisms. The flaw occurs when the system inadvertently writes user credentials and other confidential information directly to log files, creating an exploitable condition that compromises user security and system integrity.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of authentication information within the java client application. When users authenticate with the system, the authinfo.java module processes and stores this sensitive data in a manner that does not adequately protect it from being written to log files. This represents a clear violation of secure coding practices and demonstrates a failure in input validation and output sanitization. The vulnerability allows for the exposure of user credentials and authentication tokens through routine system logging operations, which typically occur without explicit user knowledge or consent.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations using the affected jlc software. Attackers who gain access to system log files can extract user passwords and authentication information, potentially enabling unauthorized access to protected systems and resources. The impact extends beyond individual user accounts to encompass broader organizational security postures, as compromised credentials can be used for lateral movement within networks and persistence attacks. This vulnerability directly aligns with attack patterns documented in the attack tree framework, where credential theft serves as a foundational step for more advanced exploitation techniques.
The security implications of this vulnerability are substantial and align with CWE-546, which addresses the use of hard-coded credentials or insecure logging practices. Organizations implementing this software face potential compliance violations with security standards such as pci dss and iso 27001, which mandate proper handling of sensitive information. The flaw represents a failure in the principle of least privilege and demonstrates inadequate separation between operational logging and security-sensitive data handling. System administrators and security teams must recognize that routine log file access can inadvertently expose critical authentication information.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected systems to version 0.8.1 or later, which presumably addresses the insecure logging implementation. Organizations should also implement log file access controls and monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts to sensitive log data. Additional defensive measures include implementing log file encryption, regular log file audits, and establishing proper data classification policies for authentication information. Security professionals should consider implementing the principle of defense in depth by separating authentication handling from logging operations and ensuring that sensitive information is never written to persistent storage in plain text formats. The remediation process should include comprehensive security testing to verify that no other components of the system exhibit similar insecure logging behaviors.