CVE-2018-17774 in Telium 2
Summary
by MITRE
Ingenico Telium 2 POS terminals have an insecure NTPT3 protocol. This is fixed in Telium 2 SDK v9.32.03 patch N.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/10/2020
The CVE-2018-17774 vulnerability affects Ingenico Telium 2 point of sale terminals that utilize the insecure NTPT3 protocol for communication with payment processors. This protocol implementation represents a significant security weakness in the terminal's network stack that could potentially allow attackers to intercept, modify, or manipulate payment transactions. The vulnerability specifically impacts the authentication and encryption mechanisms used during transaction processing, creating opportunities for man-in-the-middle attacks and data interception. The affected terminals operate in retail environments where sensitive payment card data is processed, making this vulnerability particularly concerning from a financial security perspective.
The technical flaw stems from the implementation of the NTPT3 protocol which lacks proper cryptographic safeguards and authentication mechanisms. This protocol does not adequately protect the confidentiality and integrity of payment data during transmission between the terminal and the payment processor server. The vulnerability creates a pathway for attackers to potentially inject malicious commands or alter transaction parameters, which could result in financial loss or unauthorized transactions. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-310 which covers cryptographic issues and CWE-295 which addresses improper certificate validation. The implementation of weak cryptographic protocols falls under the broader category of insecure communication channels that are commonly exploited in payment card fraud scenarios.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability poses substantial risks to organizations using Ingenico Telium 2 terminals in their payment processing infrastructure. The insecure NTPT3 protocol could enable attackers to perform transaction manipulation attacks, potentially leading to unauthorized fund transfers or fraudulent transactions. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that these terminals are deployed in various retail environments including restaurants, retail stores, and service establishments where payment card data is frequently processed. The vulnerability could also facilitate credential harvesting attacks that might compromise additional system components or enable lateral movement within network environments. Organizations relying on these terminals face potential regulatory compliance issues under payment card industry standards such as pci dss, which mandate secure handling of cardholder data.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves applying the official patch provided by Ingenico for Telium 2 SDK version 9.32.03 patch N, which addresses the specific implementation flaws in the NTPT3 protocol. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all affected terminals within their deployment and prioritize patching based on risk assessment. Network segmentation and monitoring should be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts, while additional security controls such as transaction monitoring and anomaly detection systems should be deployed. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving credential access and defense evasion, as attackers might attempt to exploit the insecure communication channel to gain unauthorized access to payment systems or hide their activities. Organizations should also consider implementing network traffic analysis tools to monitor for unusual communication patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts against the vulnerable protocol implementation.