CVE-2018-17401 in PhonePe Wallet
Summary
by MITRE
The PhonePe wallet (aka com.PhonePe.app) application 3.0.6 through 3.3.26 for Android might allow attackers to perform Account Takeover attacks by exploiting its Forgot Password feature.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/05/2024
The PhonePe wallet application version 3.0.6 through 3.3.26 for Android contains a critical security vulnerability in its Forgot Password functionality that enables unauthorized account takeover attacks. This vulnerability represents a significant weakness in the application's authentication and authorization mechanisms, potentially allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to user financial accounts. The flaw specifically resides within the password recovery process, which should have implemented robust security measures to verify user identity before resetting credentials. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-640, Weak Password Recovery Mechanism, which is categorized under the broader weakness of authentication failures. The vulnerability creates a pathway for attackers to bypass normal authentication procedures and assume control of legitimate user accounts.
The technical implementation of the Forgot Password feature appears to lack proper verification mechanisms for identity confirmation. Attackers can exploit this weakness by manipulating the password reset flow to gain access to target accounts without proper authorization. The vulnerability likely stems from insufficient validation of user requests, potentially allowing attackers to reset passwords for accounts they do not own by leveraging information leakage or weak session management during the recovery process. This weakness enables attackers to perform account takeover attacks through various means including but not limited to social engineering, information gathering, or exploiting predictable patterns in the recovery workflow. The vulnerability can be classified under ATT&CK technique T1531 for Account Access Removal and T1566 for Phishing, as attackers can leverage this weakness to gain unauthorized access to financial accounts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it directly threatens the integrity and security of user financial data within the PhonePe wallet application. Users who store their financial information in the application become vulnerable to theft, unauthorized transactions, and potential financial loss. The vulnerability affects the entire user base of the affected application versions, making it a widespread security concern that requires immediate attention. Attackers can exploit this weakness to access sensitive financial information, perform unauthorized transactions, and potentially drain user accounts of their funds. The impact extends beyond individual users to affect the application's overall security posture and user trust in the platform. Organizations implementing security controls should consider this vulnerability as a critical risk that requires immediate remediation.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of the affected application versions to address the password recovery mechanism flaws. The application should implement robust multi-factor authentication for password reset requests, including additional verification steps such as security questions, SMS codes, or email confirmation. Organizations should also implement rate limiting and anomaly detection to identify suspicious password reset attempts. The fix should incorporate proper session management and ensure that all password recovery requests are properly authenticated before any credential changes are processed. Security teams should conduct thorough penetration testing and vulnerability assessments to identify similar weaknesses in other authentication mechanisms within the application. Additionally, user education regarding the importance of strong passwords and recognizing phishing attempts should be implemented to reduce the overall attack surface. The remediation efforts should align with industry best practices for authentication security and address the specific CWE-640 weakness to prevent future occurrences of similar vulnerabilities.