CVE-2018-11338 in Lacerte
Summary
by MITRE
Intuit Lacerte 2017 for Windows in a client/server environment transfers the entire customer list in cleartext over SMB, which allows attackers to (1) obtain sensitive information by sniffing the network or (2) conduct man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks via unspecified vectors. The customer list contains each customer's full name, social security number (SSN), address, job title, phone number, Email address, spouse's phone/Email address, and other sensitive information. After the client software authenticates to the server database, the server sends the customer list. There is no need for further exploitation as all sensitive data is exposed. This vulnerability was validated on Intuit Lacerte 2017, however older versions of Lacerte may be vulnerable.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/11/2020
This vulnerability in Intuit Lacerte 2017 represents a critical security flaw in the client/server communication architecture that exposes highly sensitive personal and financial data through unencrypted network transmission. The flaw occurs during the standard authentication process where the server transmits the complete customer database over the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol without any encryption or data protection mechanisms. This represents a fundamental failure in secure data transmission practices and directly violates established security principles for handling personally identifiable information (PII) and sensitive financial data. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) and CWE-319 (Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information) as it involves the transmission of confidential data in an unencrypted format over potentially insecure network channels.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it provides attackers with immediate access to comprehensive customer profiles containing full names, social security numbers, residential addresses, employment details, contact information, and family contact data. The exposure occurs automatically upon successful client authentication, requiring no additional exploitation techniques or advanced attack vectors. This means that any network observer with access to the communication channel can capture and decode the transmitted data, while attackers positioned within the network can execute man-in-the-middle attacks to intercept and potentially modify the data in transit. The vulnerability affects not only individual privacy but also creates significant compliance risks for organizations handling protected health information (PHI) and financial data under regulations such as HIPAA, SOX, and GDPR. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that this flaw exists in the core data transmission mechanism of the accounting software, making it a prime target for cybercriminals seeking to harvest sensitive personal information for identity theft, financial fraud, and other malicious activities.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires minimal effort and specialized knowledge, as the cleartext transmission occurs automatically during normal software operation without any user interaction or additional attack prerequisites. Network sniffing tools can easily capture the SMB traffic and extract the complete customer database, while MITM attack frameworks can be deployed to intercept and manipulate the data flow. This vulnerability demonstrates poor implementation of secure communication protocols and highlights the importance of end-to-end encryption for sensitive data transmission. Organizations using Intuit Lacerte 2017 and potentially older versions should immediately implement network segmentation, deploy network monitoring solutions to detect unusual traffic patterns, and consider deploying encryption proxies or VPN tunnels to protect data in transit. The vulnerability also underscores the need for regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning to identify similar flaws in legacy systems. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1041 (Exfiltration Over C2 Channel) and T1071.004 (Application Layer Protocol: SMB) as it involves unauthorized data exfiltration through standard network protocols without proper encryption mechanisms. The remediation approach should include immediate patching of affected versions, implementation of network traffic encryption, and establishment of secure communication channels that meet industry standards for protecting sensitive information in transit.