CVE-2019-19362 in Desktop Application
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in the Chat functionality of the TeamViewer desktop application 14.3.4730 on Windows. (The vendor states that it was later fixed.) Upon login, every communication is saved within Windows main memory. When a user logs out or deletes conversation history (but does not exit the application), this data is not wiped from main memory, and therefore could be read by a local user with the same or greater privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/05/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-19362 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the TeamViewer desktop application version 14.3.4730 on Windows systems. This issue specifically affects the chat functionality component of the software, creating a persistent security risk that extends beyond the typical boundaries of application session management. The vulnerability stems from improper memory handling practices where sensitive chat communications are retained in volatile memory even after users believe they have cleared their conversation history through standard logout procedures or manual deletion functions. The flaw exists at the application layer and demonstrates a fundamental failure in memory sanitization protocols that should occur during user session termination or data deletion operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application's failure to properly overwrite or clear memory segments containing chat conversation data when users perform logout or deletion actions. According to CWE-200, this represents a weakness in information disclosure where sensitive data remains accessible in memory locations that should have been purged. The vulnerability operates under the principle that data persistence in main memory is not properly managed during application state transitions, creating a window of opportunity for unauthorized access. When users log out of TeamViewer or delete chat history, the application does not execute proper memory cleanup routines that would ensure the complete removal of chat data from RAM, leaving residual information accessible to any local user with equivalent or higher privileges. This memory retention behavior violates fundamental security principles of data sanitization and demonstrates a failure in the application's secure memory management practices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to encompass potential compromise of sensitive communications and user privacy. Attackers with local access to a system could exploit this vulnerability to recover deleted chat conversations, potentially accessing confidential business communications, personal information, or other sensitive data that was previously thought to be securely removed from the application. The risk is particularly elevated in multi-user environments where a malicious local user with the same privileges as the legitimate user could access the cached chat data. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques such as credential access and privilege escalation through memory scraping methods, as it enables unauthorized data recovery from application memory. The vulnerability also represents a failure in the application's secure coding practices and demonstrates the importance of proper memory management in security-critical applications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate application updates to the patched versions provided by TeamViewer, as well as implementing additional operational security measures. System administrators should ensure that all TeamViewer installations are updated to versions that address this memory handling issue, typically through standard software update mechanisms. Organizations should consider implementing memory monitoring tools to detect potential memory scraping activities and establish secure disposal procedures for sensitive applications. The vulnerability highlights the necessity of proper secure coding practices and memory management protocols, particularly for applications handling sensitive user communications. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of leaving applications running after logout and the importance of proper application termination to minimize potential exposure windows. This case demonstrates the critical importance of memory sanitization in security-sensitive applications and underscores the need for comprehensive security testing that includes memory management validation.