CVE-2008-3059 in Oempro
Summary
by MITRE
member/settings_account.php in Octeth Oempro 3.5.5.1, and possibly other versions before 4, uses cleartext to transmit a password entered in the FormValue_Password field, which makes it easier for remote attackers to obtain sensitive information by sniffing the network, related to the "Settings - Account Information" tab.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/14/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-3059 affects Octeth Oempro version 3.5.5.1 and potentially earlier versions up to version 4. This security flaw resides within the member/settings_account.php component of the application, specifically within the "Settings - Account Information" tab functionality. The issue stems from the application's improper handling of password transmission, where credentials are sent in cleartext format over the network rather than being encrypted. This represents a fundamental failure in secure communication practices that directly violates established security standards and best practices for protecting sensitive information.
The technical implementation flaw involves the FormValue_Password field which is designed to capture user-entered password values through a web form interface. When users submit their account information through this particular tab, the password value is transmitted without any form of encryption or obfuscation, making it susceptible to interception during network transmission. This cleartext transmission occurs regardless of whether the underlying network infrastructure employs secure protocols such as HTTPS or SSL/TLS encryption, as the vulnerability specifically targets the application layer's handling of the password field itself rather than the transport layer security.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for organizations utilizing Octeth Oempro 3.5.5.1 or earlier versions, as it creates an avenue for remote attackers to compromise user accounts and access sensitive system information. Network sniffing tools can easily capture the cleartext password transmissions, allowing unauthorized parties to obtain valid login credentials for administrative accounts. This vulnerability directly relates to CWE-312, which addresses the exposure of sensitive information through cleartext transmission, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046 which involves network service scanning and credential harvesting. The attack surface is particularly concerning because it affects administrative account information, potentially allowing attackers to gain full control over the email marketing platform and its associated user data.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including mandatory use of HTTPS encryption for all administrative interfaces, immediate upgrade to version 4.0 or later where this issue has been resolved, and implementation of network monitoring to detect potential credential interception attempts. The recommended remediation strategy involves enforcing secure communication protocols at the application level, ensuring that all password fields are transmitted through encrypted channels, and implementing proper input validation and sanitization measures. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their web applications to identify similar cleartext transmission vulnerabilities and establish security policies that mandate encryption for all sensitive data transmission, aligning with industry standards such as those outlined in NIST SP 800-57 and ISO/IEC 27001 security requirements for protecting confidential information.