CVE-2005-4696 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE
The Microsoft Wireless Zero Configuration system (WZCS) stores WEP keys and pair-wise Master Keys (PMK) of the WPA pre-shared key in plaintext in memory of the explorer process, which allows attackers with access to process memory to steal the keys and access the network.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/04/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-4696 resides within Microsoft's Wireless Zero Configuration service, a component designed to manage wireless network connections on Windows systems. This service operates through the explorer.exe process, which serves as the primary user interface shell for Windows operating systems. The flaw represents a critical security oversight in how wireless network credentials are handled, as the system fails to implement proper encryption or obfuscation mechanisms for sensitive authentication data stored in memory.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the WZCS system's improper handling of wireless network security keys. Specifically, the system stores both Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) keys and Pair-wise Master Keys (PMK) associated with Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) pre-shared keys in plaintext format within the memory space of the explorer.exe process. This design choice directly violates fundamental security principles regarding the protection of sensitive credentials, as memory dumps or direct process inspection can immediately extract these keys without requiring additional cryptographic attacks or complex exploitation techniques.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it fundamentally compromises the security model of wireless networks. An attacker with local access to a compromised system can leverage memory inspection tools or debugging capabilities to extract the plaintext keys, subsequently gaining unauthorized access to wireless networks protected by WEP or WPA encryption. This vulnerability effectively nullifies the encryption benefits provided by these security protocols, as the keys are stored in a manner that makes them immediately accessible to any process with sufficient privileges to read the explorer.exe memory space. The implications are particularly severe in enterprise environments where wireless network access often provides access to internal network resources and sensitive data systems.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-312 (CWE-312: Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) and represents a classic example of insecure credential storage practices that have been widely documented in security literature. From an adversarial perspective, this flaw maps directly to techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1003 (Credential Dumping) and T1046 (Network Service Scanning) where attackers can leverage local access to extract authentication credentials from memory. The vulnerability demonstrates a critical failure in the principle of least privilege and proper system design, as it exposes the fundamental security keys required to access wireless networks through a process that should not contain such sensitive information. Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including disabling the Wireless Zero Configuration service when not required, implementing proper access controls to limit memory inspection capabilities, and deploying network monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized wireless access attempts that may indicate exploitation of this vulnerability.