CVE-2013-7286 in Virtual Smartphone Platform
Summary
by MITRE
MobileIron VSP < 5.9.1 and Sentry < 5.0 has a weak password obfuscation algorithm
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/16/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-7286 affects MobileIron VSP versions prior to 5.9.1 and Sentry versions prior to 5.0, representing a critical weakness in the password obfuscation mechanism implemented within these mobile device management solutions. This flaw directly impacts the security posture of organizations relying on MobileIron products for enterprise mobile device management and security enforcement. The weak password obfuscation algorithm creates a significant attack surface that adversaries can exploit to gain unauthorized access to sensitive system components and potentially compromise entire mobile device management infrastructures.
The technical flaw stems from the implementation of a simplistic and predictable obfuscation algorithm that fails to provide adequate cryptographic security for password storage and transmission within the MobileIron platform. This weakness allows attackers to reverse-engineer or brute-force obfuscated passwords through pattern recognition and mathematical analysis of the obfuscation methodology. The vulnerability specifically targets the password handling mechanisms used during authentication processes, configuration management, and administrative access controls within the mobile device management ecosystem. Attackers can leverage this weakness to obtain administrative credentials, bypass authentication mechanisms, and gain unauthorized access to managed mobile devices and associated corporate data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential compromise, as it enables attackers to establish persistent access to mobile device management systems and potentially escalate privileges within the enterprise mobile infrastructure. Organizations using affected MobileIron versions face significant risks including unauthorized device enrollment, policy manipulation, and data exfiltration from managed endpoints. The vulnerability creates opportunities for attackers to move laterally within the mobile device management environment, potentially compromising multiple devices and undermining the security controls designed to protect corporate mobile assets. This weakness particularly affects enterprises that rely heavily on MobileIron for enforcing security policies and managing corporate mobile device deployments across their workforce.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected MobileIron VSP and Sentry versions to the recommended secure releases that implement proper cryptographic obfuscation algorithms. Organizations should conduct comprehensive inventory assessments to identify all instances of affected MobileIron products within their infrastructure and prioritize remediation efforts accordingly. Security teams must implement additional monitoring controls to detect unauthorized access attempts and credential compromise activities within their mobile device management environments. The implementation of multi-factor authentication and enhanced access controls should be considered as additional defensive measures while awaiting full patch deployment. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-326 for inadequate encryption strength and CWE-521 for weak password requirements, representing a clear violation of security best practices for credential handling and cryptographic implementation. Organizations should also review their mobile device management security policies and ensure proper access controls are enforced to limit potential impact from credential compromise scenarios.