CVE-2017-6911 in USB Pratirodh
Summary
by MITRE
USB Pratirodh is prone to sensitive information disclosure. It stores sensitive information such as username and password in simple usb.xml. An attacker with physical access to the system can modify the file according his own requirements that may aid in further attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/15/2022
The USB Pratirodh vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in how sensitive authentication data is handled within the system. This vulnerability falls under the category of insecure data storage, where confidential information including usernames and passwords is stored in plain text format within a file named usb.xml. The weakness stems from the application's failure to implement proper encryption or obfuscation mechanisms for storing authentication credentials, creating a significant risk when the system is physically accessible to unauthorized parties.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental flaw in the application's security architecture. The usb.xml file serves as a repository for sensitive information that should be protected through encryption or secure storage mechanisms. When this file contains credentials in plaintext format, it creates an attack surface that can be exploited by adversaries with physical access to the system. The vulnerability's nature allows for direct modification of the file contents, enabling attackers to inject their own credentials or manipulate existing ones to gain unauthorized access to systems or services that rely on these stored credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it provides attackers with a pathway for persistent access and further exploitation. An attacker who gains physical access to a system running USB Pratirodh can easily locate and modify the usb.xml file to establish backdoor access or escalate privileges within the system. This vulnerability aligns with attack patterns documented in the attack tree methodology, where physical access serves as a prerequisite for exploitation but ultimately enables more sophisticated attacks including privilege escalation and lateral movement within networked environments.
From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability violates several security standards including those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST guidelines for secure coding practices. The storage of authentication credentials in plaintext format directly contravenes the principle of least privilege and proper credential management. This flaw can be categorized as a CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) and potentially CWE-522 (Insufficiently Protected Credentials) depending on the specific implementation details. The vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1552.001 (Credentials In Files) and T1059.001 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell) when considering how attackers might leverage this weakness to establish persistence.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper encryption mechanisms for storing sensitive data, enforcing file access controls, and implementing integrity verification measures. Organizations should ensure that any authentication-related information stored on disk is encrypted using strong encryption algorithms and that access to configuration files is restricted through proper file permissions and access control lists. Regular security audits should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities across all system components, while implementing centralized credential management solutions that eliminate the need for local storage of sensitive information. The implementation of file integrity monitoring systems can also help detect unauthorized modifications to critical configuration files, providing additional layers of defense against this type of attack.