CVE-2018-14901 in iPrint App
Summary
by MITRE
The EPSON iPrint application 6.6.3 for Android contains hard-coded API and Secret keys for the Dropbox, Box, Evernote and OneDrive services.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/19/2020
The EPSON iPrint application version 6.6.3 for Android presents a critical security vulnerability through the inclusion of hard-coded API and secret keys for multiple cloud storage services including Dropbox, Box, Evernote, and OneDrive. This flaw represents a fundamental weakness in the application's security architecture that directly violates established security principles and best practices for credential management. The vulnerability stems from the application's improper handling of authentication credentials, where developers embedded sensitive authentication parameters directly into the application code rather than implementing secure dynamic credential retrieval mechanisms.
This hard-coded credential exposure creates a significant attack surface that enables unauthorized parties to gain access to user accounts and data stored within the configured cloud services. The vulnerability is classified as a credential hardcoding issue that falls under CWE-259 and CWE-798, representing persistent security flaws that remain exploitable across application versions and deployments. The presence of these embedded keys allows attackers to bypass normal authentication procedures and directly access user files and account information without requiring legitimate user credentials or authorization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential data breaches, account takeovers, and privacy violations for users of the EPSON iPrint application. Attackers can leverage these hard-coded credentials to upload, download, modify, or delete files within the associated cloud accounts, potentially leading to data loss, unauthorized sharing, or malicious activities. The vulnerability affects all users who have configured their EPSON iPrint application to integrate with these cloud services, creating widespread exposure across the user base.
Security professionals should recognize this issue as a clear violation of the principle of least privilege and secure credential management practices. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under credential access techniques where adversaries exploit hardcoded credentials to maintain persistent access to target systems. Mitigation strategies should include immediate removal of hard-coded credentials from the application code, implementation of secure credential management systems, and regular security audits to identify similar vulnerabilities. Organizations should also implement network monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts and consider credential rotation procedures for affected services. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of proper security design practices and demonstrates how seemingly minor implementation flaws can create significant security risks in mobile applications.