CVE-2017-9818 in BHIM App
Summary
by MITRE
The National Payments Corporation of India BHIM application 1.3 for Android relies on a four-digit passcode, which makes it easier for attackers to obtain access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/04/2023
The CVE-2017-9818 vulnerability affects the National Payments Corporation of India BHIM application version 1.3 for Android devices, presenting a critical security flaw in the authentication mechanism. This vulnerability stems from the application's reliance on a four-digit passcode for user authentication, which represents a fundamental weakness in the security architecture of a payment application designed to handle sensitive financial transactions. The implementation of such a short passcode creates an exploitable attack surface that significantly undermines the security posture of the application and the financial data it protects.
The technical flaw in this vulnerability manifests through the use of a weak authentication mechanism that fails to meet minimum security requirements for financial applications. A four-digit passcode provides only 10,000 possible combinations, making it highly susceptible to brute force attacks and dictionary attacks. This weakness directly correlates to CWE-310, which addresses cryptographic weaknesses, and specifically targets the lack of proper authentication strength in mobile payment applications. The vulnerability represents a clear violation of security best practices and industry standards for protecting sensitive financial data, as outlined in the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and similar regulatory frameworks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass significant financial and reputational risks for both users and the implementing organization. Attackers can systematically exploit this weakness through automated tools to guess valid passcodes, potentially gaining access to users' financial accounts and transaction histories. This creates a substantial risk of financial fraud, identity theft, and data breaches that could affect thousands of users who rely on the BHIM application for their payment transactions. The vulnerability also exposes the application to potential misuse in coordinated attacks targeting multiple accounts simultaneously, amplifying the overall impact of the security flaw.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-9818 should focus on implementing stronger authentication mechanisms that comply with industry standards and regulatory requirements for financial applications. Organizations should immediately implement multi-factor authentication protocols, enforce stronger passcode requirements with minimum eight-character lengths including mixed case letters, numbers, and special characters, and implement account lockout mechanisms after failed authentication attempts. The remediation process must also include regular security audits and penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the payment ecosystem, aligning with the ATT&CK framework's approach to identifying and addressing authentication-related threats. Additionally, users should be educated about the importance of strong authentication practices and the risks associated with weak passcode implementations in financial applications.