CVE-2018-18587 in AppGini
Summary
by MITRE
BigProf AppGini 5.70 stores the passwords in the database using the MD5 hash.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/06/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-18587 affects BigProf AppGini version 5.70 where user passwords are stored using the MD5 hashing algorithm. This represents a significant security weakness in the application's authentication mechanism and data protection practices. The use of MD5 for password storage violates fundamental security principles and creates substantial risks for organizations relying on this software for database management and user authentication.
The technical flaw stems from the implementation of weak cryptographic hashing for password storage. MD5 is a deprecated hash function that has known security vulnerabilities including collision resistance issues and susceptibility to rainbow table attacks. When passwords are stored using MD5, they become vulnerable to various attack vectors that can compromise user accounts and potentially lead to unauthorized access to the entire application system. This weakness directly maps to CWE-327, which addresses the use of weak cryptographic algorithms, and specifically relates to CWE-310, which covers cryptographic issues in password storage. The vulnerability creates a direct pathway for attackers to recover passwords through precomputed hash tables or brute force methods, undermining the fundamental purpose of password hashing.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential compromise. Organizations using BigProf AppGini 5.70 may face significant security risks including unauthorized data access, privilege escalation, and potential lateral movement within their network infrastructure. The weakness allows attackers to gain unauthorized access to user accounts and potentially escalate privileges to administrative levels, depending on the application's architecture. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1110, which covers credential access through password cracking and brute force methods, and T1078, which addresses valid accounts usage. The impact is particularly severe because MD5-based password storage provides minimal protection against modern attack techniques and can result in complete system compromise.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate action to address the weak password storage implementation. Organizations should upgrade to a newer version of BigProf AppGini that implements proper cryptographic hashing using algorithms such as bcrypt, scrypt, or PBKDF2 with appropriate salt values. The recommended approach involves migrating existing MD5 hashes to stronger cryptographic functions while ensuring proper salting mechanisms are implemented to prevent rainbow table attacks. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive password resets for all affected users and implement additional authentication controls including multi-factor authentication. The remediation process should follow industry standards such as NIST SP 800-63B for password authentication and ensure compliance with security frameworks that mandate strong cryptographic practices for user credential storage.