CVE-2016-1489 in SHAREit
Summary
by MITRE
Lenovo SHAREit before 3.2.0 for Windows and SHAREit before 3.5.48_ww for Android transfer files in cleartext, which allows remote attackers to (1) obtain sensitive information by sniffing the network or (2) conduct man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/06/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-1489 affects Lenovo SHAREit mobile and desktop applications, specifically versions prior to 3.2.0 for Windows and 3.5.48_ww for Android. This security flaw represents a critical weakness in the application's network communication protocols, where file transfer operations occur without any form of encryption or data protection. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to implement secure communication channels during file transfers, leaving all transmitted data susceptible to interception and manipulation by malicious actors on the same network segment.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability lies in the application's network stack design which operates entirely in cleartext mode without employing any form of cryptographic protection. When users initiate file transfers through SHAREit, the application transmits file data, metadata, and potentially sensitive information across network connections without encryption, making it trivial for attackers to capture and analyze network traffic using standard packet sniffing tools. This cleartext transmission exposes not only the file contents but also potentially sensitive user information, connection details, and application-specific data that may be used for further exploitation attempts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, creating multiple attack vectors for remote adversaries. The primary threat involves passive network sniffing attacks where attackers can easily capture and read all transmitted data without requiring any special privileges or complex exploitation techniques. Additionally, the vulnerability enables active man-in-the-middle attacks where malicious actors can intercept, modify, or redirect file transfers in real-time. This creates opportunities for data theft, malware injection, and complete compromise of the file transfer process, particularly concerning sensitive information such as personal documents, photos, or business data that users might be transferring between devices.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) and CWE-319 (Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information), both of which address the fundamental principle of data protection during transmission and storage operations. The attack surface also maps to several ATT&CK tactics including T1041 (Exfiltration Over C2 Channel) and T1566 (Phishing) where the cleartext transmission creates opportunities for data exfiltration and social engineering attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates poor security engineering practices where cryptographic best practices were not implemented during the development lifecycle, violating fundamental security principles such as confidentiality and integrity.
Organizations and users should immediately update to the patched versions of SHAREit mentioned in the CVE description to remediate this vulnerability. The recommended mitigations include implementing network monitoring to detect unusual traffic patterns, deploying network segmentation to limit exposure, and educating users about the risks of transferring sensitive data over untrusted networks. Security teams should also consider implementing network intrusion detection systems that can identify cleartext transmission patterns and alert on potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should review their acceptable use policies to prevent the use of unpatched versions of the application in enterprise environments and ensure that all file transfer operations occur over secure, encrypted channels whenever possible.