CVE-2016-6549 in Nut Device
Summary
by MITRE
The Zizai Tech Nut device allows unauthenticated Bluetooth pairing, which enables unauthenticated connected applications to write data to the device name attribute.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/27/2024
The CVE-2016-6549 vulnerability affects Zizai Tech Nut devices, which are IoT products designed for fitness tracking and health monitoring applications. These devices utilize Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connectivity to communicate with mobile applications and other paired devices. The vulnerability stems from improper Bluetooth security implementation that fails to enforce authentication requirements during the pairing process. This flaw allows any nearby attacker to establish a Bluetooth connection without providing valid credentials or authorization, creating a significant security risk for users who rely on these devices for personal health data collection and monitoring.
The technical flaw manifests in the device's Bluetooth stack implementation where the pairing procedure lacks proper authentication mechanisms. Specifically, the device accepts incoming Bluetooth connections and allows data modification to the device name attribute without verifying the identity of connecting applications. This vulnerability is categorized under CWE-305 Authentication Bypass, which occurs when the system fails to properly authenticate users or devices before granting access to protected resources. The device name attribute serves as a writable characteristic in the BLE GATT (Generic Attribute Profile) service, making it susceptible to unauthorized modification by attackers who can establish connections through the vulnerable pairing process.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data modification, as it enables potential attackers to manipulate device identification information and potentially disrupt device functionality. An attacker with physical proximity to a target device can alter the device name to misleading values, which might confuse users or interfere with device management applications. More critically, this vulnerability can serve as a stepping stone for additional attacks, as the attacker gains unauthorized write access to device attributes that could be leveraged to inject malicious data or manipulate device behavior. The vulnerability also affects the device's ability to maintain secure communication channels, potentially exposing users' health data to unauthorized access or manipulation.
From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1041 Exfiltration Over C2 Channel, where attackers can exploit the device's communication capabilities to establish unauthorized connections and potentially exfiltrate health data. The vulnerability also relates to T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter, as attackers could potentially use the modified device name to confuse device management systems or create false device identities. Organizations and users should implement immediate mitigations including disabling Bluetooth when not in use, implementing network segmentation for IoT devices, and regularly updating device firmware. Additionally, device manufacturers should enforce proper Bluetooth pairing requirements, implement secure authentication mechanisms, and conduct thorough security testing of Bluetooth implementations to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future deployments.