CVE-2005-4589 in kiosk engine
Summary
by MITRE
spb kiosk engine 1.0.0.1 stores the administrator s passcode in the registry in plaintext which allows local users to obtain the passcode.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/03/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-4589 affects the spb kiosk engine version 1.0.0.1, a software component designed to provide kiosk functionality on mobile devices. This security flaw represents a critical weakness in the application's credential storage mechanism, as it persists sensitive administrative passcodes in an unencrypted format within the Windows registry. The registry entry containing the passcode is accessible to local users who possess sufficient privileges to read system registry values, creating an exploitable condition that undermines the security posture of systems utilizing this kiosk engine.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from poor cryptographic practices and inadequate security controls within the spb kiosk engine software. The passcode is stored in plaintext format rather than being properly encrypted or hashed, which violates fundamental security principles for credential storage. This design flaw directly relates to CWE-312, which specifically addresses the exposure of sensitive information through improper data handling. The vulnerability exists at the application level where sensitive data is written to the registry without appropriate security measures, making it trivial for local attackers to retrieve the administrative passcode by simply reading the registry key.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it provides unauthorized local users with administrative access to kiosk systems. This access could enable attackers to modify kiosk configurations, install malicious software, disable security features, or gain unrestricted access to the underlying system. The implications are particularly severe in enterprise environments where kiosk systems are deployed for public access or restricted user scenarios, as the vulnerability essentially nullifies the security controls that kiosk engines are designed to enforce. The ability to obtain administrative passcodes through registry reading operations aligns with ATT&CK technique T1003.001, which covers credential dumping through registry access, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous for systems that rely on kiosk security for operational integrity.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. The most effective immediate solution involves applying the vendor-provided patch or updating to a newer version of the spb kiosk engine that properly encrypts passcodes before storing them in the registry. Organizations should also implement registry access controls using Windows permissions to restrict access to the specific registry keys containing sensitive information. Additionally, system administrators should conduct regular audits of registry entries and monitor for unauthorized access attempts to sensitive system locations. The remediation process should include disabling unnecessary local user accounts and implementing principle of least privilege access controls to minimize the potential impact of credential exposure. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious registry access patterns that might indicate attempts to exploit this vulnerability, as outlined in ATT&CK technique T1070.006 for indicator removal and detection.