CVE-2011-0436 in Domain Technologie Control
Summary
by MITRE
The register_user function in client/new_account_form.php in Domain Technologie Control (DTC) before 0.32.9 includes a cleartext password in an e-mail message, which makes it easier for remote attackers to obtain sensitive information by sniffing the network.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/19/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-0436 resides within the Domain Technologie Control (DTC) software platform, specifically in the client/new_account_form.php component. This flaw represents a critical security oversight that exposes user credentials during the account registration process. The issue affects all versions of DTC prior to 0.32.9, making it a widespread concern for organizations utilizing this domain management system. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of sensitive information during user account creation, where password information is transmitted in cleartext format within email communications.
The technical implementation flaw occurs within the register_user function, which processes new user account requests and subsequently generates email notifications containing user registration details. When a new user account is created, the system fails to encrypt or obfuscate the password before including it in the email message sent to the user. This cleartext transmission exposes the password to any network observer capable of intercepting the email traffic, effectively bypassing normal security controls that would typically protect sensitive authentication information. The vulnerability directly violates fundamental security principles of information protection and confidentiality.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for both individual users and organizations managing multiple domain registrations. Network sniffing attacks become trivially effective against the system, allowing attackers to capture user credentials during the registration process without requiring sophisticated attack vectors. The impact extends beyond simple credential theft, as compromised passwords may be used for additional attacks within the domain management ecosystem or potentially reused across other services. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) and represents a classic example of insecure communication practices that violate security best practices outlined in various industry standards.
The security implications of this vulnerability are particularly severe given that it occurs during the initial account creation phase, when users are most likely to be unaware of potential monitoring or interception. Attackers can leverage this weakness to capture authentication credentials for new accounts before they are properly secured or validated. This creates an attack surface that can be exploited by threat actors with minimal technical expertise, as the vulnerability does not require complex exploitation techniques or privileged access. The issue also demonstrates poor security design practices that should be addressed through proper input validation, secure communication protocols, and adherence to security frameworks such as those recommended by NIST and ISO 27001 standards.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate implementation of secure password transmission protocols, such as encryption or tokenization of sensitive information before email delivery. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect potential credential interception attempts and establish proper email security controls to prevent cleartext information exposure. The most effective long-term solution involves upgrading to DTC version 0.32.9 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the cleartext password transmission issue. Additionally, security teams should implement comprehensive network security measures including encrypted email protocols and proper access controls to prevent unauthorized interception of sensitive communications, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol: email protocols.