CVE-2017-3215 in ONE-KEY
Summary
by MITRE
The Milwaukee ONE-KEY Android mobile application uses bearer tokens with an expiration of one year. This bearer token, in combination with a user_id can be used to perform user actions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/19/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-3215 resides within the Milwaukee ONE-KEY Android mobile application, which implements a security mechanism using bearer tokens for authentication and authorization purposes. This flaw represents a significant weakness in the application's security architecture as it employs bearer tokens with an excessively long expiration period of one year, creating a persistent security risk that extends far beyond reasonable operational requirements for mobile application authentication tokens. The implementation violates fundamental security principles that dictate authentication tokens should have short lifespans to minimize the window of opportunity for attackers to exploit compromised credentials. The combination of a long-lived bearer token and a user identifier creates a particularly dangerous scenario where an attacker who gains access to either component can maintain persistent access to user accounts for extended periods.
This security flaw directly maps to CWE-310, which addresses cryptographic issues related to weak or predictable random number generation, and more specifically to CWE-521, which deals with weak password requirements and authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability creates a scenario where an attacker can leverage stolen bearer tokens to perform unauthorized user actions within the application, effectively bypassing normal authentication controls. The one-year expiration period for bearer tokens represents a critical design flaw that allows for extended unauthorized access windows, making the system particularly vulnerable to credential theft, session hijacking, and persistent access attacks. The application's failure to implement proper token rotation mechanisms or short-lived sessions creates a significant attack surface that can be exploited by threat actors with access to stolen tokens.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential data breaches, account takeovers, and privilege escalation attacks. When combined with a user_id, the long-lived bearer tokens create a persistent backdoor that attackers can utilize to maintain access to user accounts for an entire year without requiring additional authentication. This extended access window significantly increases the potential damage from a successful attack, as adversaries can monitor user activities, exfiltrate sensitive data, or manipulate application functionality over prolonged periods. The vulnerability also affects the application's compliance with industry security standards and best practices, as it fails to meet the requirements for secure session management and token lifecycle management as outlined in various cybersecurity frameworks. Organizations relying on this application face increased risk of regulatory violations and security incidents due to the extended exposure window provided by the long-lived authentication tokens.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-3215 should focus on implementing short-lived bearer tokens with automatic refresh mechanisms, establishing proper token rotation policies, and implementing additional security controls such as device binding, multi-factor authentication, and real-time session monitoring. Security measures should include reducing the token expiration period to hours or days rather than years, implementing automatic token invalidation upon user logout or device changes, and adding additional authentication factors to strengthen access controls. The application should also implement proper session management controls that can detect and respond to suspicious activities, including unusual access patterns, geographic anomalies, or device changes that might indicate compromised credentials. Organizations should also consider implementing zero-trust security models that continuously validate access requests rather than relying on long-lived tokens, as recommended in the MITRE ATT&CK framework for mobile application security. These mitigations align with security standards such as NIST SP 800-63B for digital identity management and ISO/IEC 27001 for information security management, ensuring that the application meets established security requirements for authentication and access control mechanisms.