CVE-2018-15753 in MensaMax
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in the MensaMax (aka com.breustedt.mensamax) application 4.3 for Android. The use of a Hard-coded DES Cryptographic Key allows an attacker who decodes the application to decrypt transmitted data such as the login username and password.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/28/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-15753 represents a critical cryptographic weakness in the MensaMax Android application version 4.3, specifically manifesting as a hard-coded data encryption key. This flaw falls under the category of cryptographic implementation issues and directly violates fundamental security principles outlined in industry standards such as CWE-327, which addresses the use of weak cryptographic algorithms and improper key management practices. The application's developers embedded a DES cryptographic key directly within the source code, creating a scenario where any attacker with access to the application binary can extract this key and subsequently decrypt sensitive communications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application's reliance on a static DES key for encrypting user credentials during transmission. DES, while historically significant, has been deprecated for security purposes due to its 56-bit key length being insufficient against modern computational capabilities. When a cryptographic key is hard-coded within an application, it becomes permanently exposed to anyone who can decompile or analyze the application binary, effectively nullifying the encryption's protective value. This particular implementation allows attackers to intercept network traffic and decrypt authentication data including usernames and passwords without requiring additional attack vectors or sophisticated exploitation techniques.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it creates a persistent backdoor for attackers to access user accounts and potentially escalate privileges within the application's ecosystem. The vulnerability affects all users of the MensaMax application version 4.3 and persists regardless of network conditions or user authentication methods. Attackers can leverage this weakness through various techniques including static analysis of the APK file, dynamic analysis during runtime, or by examining network traffic patterns to identify and exploit the predictable encryption patterns. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1552.001, which covers "Unsecured Credentials" and represents a significant risk to user privacy and system integrity.
The mitigation strategy for this vulnerability requires immediate remediation through the implementation of proper key management practices, including the use of industry-standard encryption algorithms such as AES-256 instead of DES, and the adoption of secure key derivation functions like PBKDF2 or scrypt for generating encryption keys. Application developers should implement dynamic key generation and secure storage mechanisms, potentially utilizing Android's Keystore system or similar platform-specific secure storage solutions. Additionally, the application should employ proper certificate pinning and secure communication protocols to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks that could exploit the compromised encryption. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to cryptographic best practices as outlined in NIST Special Publication 800-57, which emphasizes the need for proper key lifecycle management and the avoidance of hard-coded cryptographic material in mobile applications.