CVE-2012-2299 in Ubercart
Summary
by MITRE
The Ubercart module 6.x-2.x before 6.x-2.8 and 7.x-3.x before 7.x-3.1 for Drupal stores passwords for new customers in plaintext during checkout, which allows local users to obtain sensitive information by reading from the database.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/19/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-2299 affects the Ubercart module for Drupal, specifically versions 6.x-2.x before 6.x-2.8 and 7.x-3.x before 7.x-3.1. This represents a critical security flaw in how customer authentication credentials are handled during the checkout process within e-commerce platforms built on the Drupal content management system. The issue stems from improper password handling mechanisms that store user credentials in plaintext format rather than implementing proper cryptographic hashing or encryption techniques. This vulnerability falls under the category of weak credential storage as classified by CWE-257, which specifically addresses the storage of passwords in a reversible format.
The technical implementation flaw occurs during the customer registration and checkout process where new user accounts are created within the Ubercart module. When customers provide their password during checkout, the system fails to apply any form of cryptographic hashing or encryption before storing the credential in the database. Instead, the plaintext password is directly written to the database tables, making it immediately accessible to any user with database access privileges. This design oversight creates a significant attack surface where local database users or attackers who gain access to the database can simply query the relevant tables and extract plaintext passwords without requiring additional cracking or decryption efforts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond immediate credential theft to encompass broader security implications for e-commerce platforms. Local users with database access can obtain plaintext passwords for all customers who have registered through the checkout process, potentially compromising not only their own accounts but also those of other customers who may reuse passwords across different services. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1003.001 for credential dumping and represents a failure in the principle of least privilege as outlined in NIST SP 800-53. The exposure of plaintext passwords creates cascading security risks where compromised credentials can be used for unauthorized access to other systems or services where users may have reused the same passwords.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement several mitigation strategies to address the exposed credentials. The primary remediation involves upgrading to the patched versions of the Ubercart module 6.x-2.8 and 7.x-3.1, which properly implement password hashing mechanisms. Additionally, system administrators should conduct immediate credential rotation for all affected customer accounts, particularly those who may have registered through the vulnerable checkout process. Database access controls should be reviewed and strengthened to limit access to only authorized personnel, implementing the principle of least privilege. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper input validation and secure coding practices, specifically around credential handling and storage, as recommended by OWASP Top 10 and the CERT/CC Secure Coding Standards. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other modules or custom code implementations within the Drupal ecosystem.