CVE-2019-17396 in Mobile App
Summary
by MITRE
In the PowerSchool Mobile application 1.1.8 for Android, the username and password are stored in the log during authentication, and may be available to attackers via logcat.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/08/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-17396 represents a critical security flaw in the PowerSchool Mobile application version 1.1.8 for Android platforms. This issue stems from improper handling of sensitive authentication data within the application's logging mechanisms, creating a significant exposure risk for user credentials. The flaw manifests when the mobile application stores username and password information directly in log output during the authentication process, making this sensitive data accessible to malicious actors who can retrieve it through logcat commands.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application's logging subsystem failing to properly sanitize or filter sensitive information before writing it to log files or system logs. During the authentication workflow, when the application processes user credentials, it inadvertently includes the actual username and password values in the log output rather than masking or removing these values. This behavior violates fundamental security principles for credential handling and demonstrates a lack of proper input sanitization and output filtering mechanisms. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-532, which addresses "Information Exposure Through Log Files," and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege in information handling.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it creates a persistent exposure window for user authentication data. Attackers with access to the device or those who can execute logcat commands against the application can easily extract stored credentials, potentially enabling unauthorized access to educational institution systems and student data. This exposure is particularly concerning in mobile environments where devices may be lost, stolen, or accessed by unauthorized individuals. The vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including physical device access, malicious applications with appropriate permissions, or through compromised network conditions where attackers can intercept log data transmission.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1074.001, which involves data staging through log files, and represents a critical weakness in the application's defense-in-depth strategy. The flaw demonstrates inadequate security controls during the development lifecycle, specifically in the areas of secure coding practices and input validation. Organizations using PowerSchool Mobile applications must implement immediate mitigations including code-level fixes to prevent credential logging, implementation of proper log sanitization protocols, and comprehensive security testing procedures. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of adhering to mobile security best practices and conducting regular security assessments to identify similar flaws in application code. Proper remediation requires developers to implement secure coding standards that ensure sensitive data is never logged in plain text format, and that all authentication-related information is properly masked or removed from logging output before any data is written to system logs.