CVE-2017-2748 in Smartwatch Mobile App
Summary
by MITRE
A potential security vulnerability caused by the use of insecure (http) transactions during login has been identified with early versions of the Isaac Mizrahi Smartwatch mobile app. HP has no access to customer data as a result of this issue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/21/2020
The vulnerability described in CVE-2017-2748 represents a critical security flaw in the Isaac Mizrahi Smartwatch mobile application that utilized unencrypted http protocols during the authentication process. This weakness falls under the category of insecure communication channels that can be exploited by malicious actors to intercept sensitive user information. The issue specifically affected early versions of the mobile application, indicating that it was a known vulnerability that should have been addressed through proper security development lifecycle practices. The use of http instead of https during login operations creates an attack surface where man-in-the-middle attacks can easily occur, allowing attackers to capture authentication credentials and potentially gain unauthorized access to user accounts.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental failure in implementing secure communication protocols during sensitive operations. The insecure http transactions mean that all data transmitted between the mobile application and the server, particularly authentication tokens and user credentials, would be transmitted in plaintext. This aligns with CWE-319, which specifically addresses the exposure of sensitive information through the use of insecure communication channels. The vulnerability represents a classic example of inadequate transport layer security implementation, where the application failed to enforce the use of encrypted connections for all authentication-related communications. Attackers could leverage this weakness to perform session hijacking, credential theft, and other malicious activities that would be significantly more difficult to accomplish over encrypted channels.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential interception, as it creates potential for broader account compromise and user data exposure. While the vendor HP explicitly stated that they had no access to customer data due to this issue, the vulnerability itself represents a significant risk to end users who may have had their login credentials captured during transmission. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that the vulnerability existed in the mobile application, which typically operates in less secure environments than traditional web applications. Mobile devices are more susceptible to various forms of attack, including compromised networks, malicious applications, and physical security breaches, making the lack of encryption during authentication particularly dangerous. This vulnerability also indicates poor security hygiene in the application development process, suggesting that other security controls may have been similarly compromised.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate implementation of proper encryption protocols throughout the application's communication channels. Organizations should enforce the use of https for all authentication-related operations and implement certificate pinning to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks. The fix should include mandatory encryption for all network communications, particularly during login and authentication processes. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability would likely violate various security standards including iso 27001, which requires the implementation of appropriate security controls for information processing. Additionally, the issue aligns with attack techniques documented in the mitre att&ck framework under the credential access and defense evasion domains, where attackers could exploit insecure network communications to gain unauthorized access to systems. Organizations should implement proper security testing procedures including network protocol analysis and penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in their applications. The incident also highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and implementing automated security scanning tools to detect insecure communication patterns during the development lifecycle.