CVE-2016-2343 in Eaglesoft
Summary
by MITRE
Patterson Dental Eaglesoft 17 has a hardcoded password of sql for the dba account, which allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive Dental.DB patient information via SQL statements.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/30/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-2343 affects Patterson Dental Eaglesoft version 17, a widely used dental practice management software solution. This critical security flaw represents a classic case of weak authentication mechanisms that exposes sensitive patient data to unauthorized access. The software's database administrator account contains a hardcoded password that remains unchanged from the default configuration, creating an easily exploitable security weakness that persists across deployments. This vulnerability falls under the category of hardcoded credentials, which is classified as CWE-798 in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog and represents a fundamental failure in secure configuration practices. The presence of default credentials significantly increases the attack surface for malicious actors who can leverage this information to gain unauthorized access to patient databases containing highly sensitive medical information.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the software's failure to properly secure the database administration account during the installation process. The hardcoded password 'sql' for the dba account represents a severe deviation from security best practices and demonstrates poor security design principles. Attackers can exploit this weakness by simply connecting to the database using the default credentials, bypassing all authentication mechanisms that should normally protect sensitive data. The vulnerability enables remote attackers to execute SQL statements against the Dental.DB database, allowing them to extract patient information, treatment records, and other confidential medical data. This access pattern aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage and T1046 for network service scanning to identify accessible database endpoints. The attack vector requires minimal technical expertise, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by both skilled attackers and automated tools.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized data access to encompass serious regulatory compliance violations and potential legal consequences. Dental practices using affected software versions face significant exposure to data breaches that could result in HIPAA violations, as the system contains protected health information that requires stringent security controls. The vulnerability enables attackers to perform data exfiltration operations that could compromise thousands of patient records, potentially leading to identity theft, medical fraud, and other malicious activities. Organizations may experience substantial financial losses due to regulatory fines, legal fees, and remediation costs associated with data breach incidents. The long-term reputational damage from such security failures can severely impact patient trust and business operations. This vulnerability also represents a persistent risk since it remains active until the software is properly patched or updated, creating ongoing exposure for affected organizations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-2343 require immediate action to address the hardcoded credential issue. Organizations must first identify all affected systems and then implement proper credential management procedures, including changing default passwords to strong, unique values for database administrator accounts. The recommended approach involves implementing a robust password policy that enforces complex password requirements and regular credential rotation schedules. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit database access to authorized personnel only, reducing the potential impact of credential compromise. Security monitoring and intrusion detection systems should be configured to alert on unauthorized database access attempts and unusual SQL query patterns. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar hardcoded credentials in other systems. Software vendors should be encouraged to implement proper secure configuration defaults that do not include hardcoded credentials, aligning with security standards such as NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001 requirements for secure system design and implementation. Additionally, organizations should establish incident response procedures specifically designed to handle credential compromise scenarios and ensure proper notification protocols are in place for potential data breach situations.