CVE-2019-5035 in Nest Cam IQ Indoor
Summary
by MITRE
An exploitable information disclosure vulnerability exists in the Weave PASE pairing functionality of the Nest Cam IQ Indoor, version 4620002. A set of specially crafted weave packets can brute force a pairing code, resulting in greater Weave access and potentially full device control. An attacker can send specially crafted packets to trigger this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/27/2023
The CVE-2019-5035 vulnerability represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the Weave PASE (Password-Authenticated Session Establishment) pairing mechanism of the Nest Cam IQ Indoor device running firmware version 4620002. This vulnerability exposes the device to unauthorized access through a brute force attack on the pairing code mechanism that is fundamental to establishing secure communication between the device and authorized users. The Weave protocol, developed by Google, is designed to enable secure pairing and communication between IoT devices and mobile applications, making this weakness particularly concerning for consumer security.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of specially crafted Weave packets that target the PASE pairing process. During normal operation, the PASE protocol requires a secure method for establishing session keys between devices, typically involving a shared secret or pairing code that prevents unauthorized access. However, the vulnerability in the Nest Cam IQ Indoor firmware allows attackers to systematically guess or brute force the pairing code through repeated packet exchanges. This weakness stems from inadequate cryptographic implementation or insufficient rate limiting mechanisms within the PASE protocol handler, enabling attackers to perform automated attacks without triggering protective measures that would normally prevent such brute force attempts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable full device compromise and unauthorized control of the surveillance camera. Once an attacker successfully brute forces the pairing code, they gain access to the device's Weave communication channel, which could provide access to video streams, device configuration settings, and potentially other connected IoT devices within the same network ecosystem. This represents a significant escalation from information disclosure to full system compromise, as the attacker can manipulate device behavior, access stored data, and potentially use the compromised device as a pivot point for attacking other networked systems. The vulnerability directly violates security principles outlined in the OWASP Top Ten, particularly the weakness related to insecure authentication mechanisms.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for Valid Accounts and T1046 for Network Service Scanning, as attackers can leverage automated tools to discover and exploit weak pairing mechanisms. The vulnerability also maps to CWE-310, Cryptographic Vulnerability, and CWE-307, Improper Restriction of Excessive Authentication Attempts, highlighting the dual nature of the weakness in both cryptographic implementation and access control enforcement. Organizations and consumers using affected devices should consider immediate mitigation strategies including firmware updates, network segmentation, and monitoring for unusual network traffic patterns that might indicate brute force attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of proper cryptographic implementation in IoT devices and demonstrates how seemingly minor flaws in authentication mechanisms can lead to complete system compromise, making it a critical concern for the broader IoT security community and reinforcing the need for robust security testing in connected device development processes.