CVE-2005-4777 in ASPEdit
Summary
by MITRE
Tashcom ASPEdit 2.9 stores the administration password (aka the FTP password) in cleartext in the registry, which might allow local users to view the password.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/16/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-4777 represents a critical security flaw in Tashcom ASPEdit 2.9, a web development tool that was widely used for creating and managing websites. This issue stems from the application's insecure handling of authentication credentials, specifically the administrative password that is used for FTP connections. The flaw manifests when the application stores this sensitive information in cleartext format within the Windows registry, a common storage location for application configuration data. This design decision creates a significant security risk as it exposes sensitive authentication information to any local user who can access the registry entries, effectively undermining the fundamental security principle of credential protection.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application's configuration management system where it fails to implement proper encryption or obfuscation mechanisms for storing passwords. When users configure their FTP credentials within ASPEdit, the software directly writes these credentials to registry keys without any form of cryptographic protection, making them immediately readable by any process running with sufficient privileges to access the registry. This cleartext storage approach violates established security best practices and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege, as the password is accessible not only to the intended user but to any local attacker who can read the registry entries. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-312, which specifically addresses the exposure of sensitive information through cleartext storage, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1552.001 for unsecured credentials storage.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it provides attackers with the ability to establish unauthorized access to web servers through the compromised FTP credentials. Local users with access to the system can easily extract these passwords and use them to upload malicious files, modify existing content, or even gain persistent access to target web applications. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires no special privileges beyond local system access, making it exploitable by anyone with basic user-level access to the machine. This type of vulnerability commonly falls into the ATT&CK matrix under privilege escalation and credential access categories, as it enables attackers to move laterally within the network by leveraging the compromised FTP credentials to access other systems or applications that might share the same authentication credentials.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-4777 should focus on immediate remediation through software updates or patches provided by the vendor, though given the age of this vulnerability, such patches may no longer be available. Organizations should implement additional security controls including regular registry access monitoring, restricting local user privileges, and employing more secure credential management practices such as using encrypted configuration files or external credential storage solutions. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure configuration management and the need for applications to implement proper encryption mechanisms for sensitive data storage, aligning with security frameworks such as NIST SP 800-53 controls for secure configuration management and access control. System administrators should also consider implementing privilege separation and least privilege access models to limit the potential impact of such credential exposure vulnerabilities.