CVE-2020-23283 in mConnect
Summary
by MITRE • 07/21/2021
Information disclosure in Logon Page in MV's mConnect application v02.001.00 allows an attacker to know valid users from the application's database via brute force.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/26/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-23283 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the mConnect application version 02.001.00 developed by MV's company. This security weakness specifically targets the application's logon page functionality and exposes sensitive user account information through a sophisticated brute force attack mechanism. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and response handling during authentication attempts, creating a scenario where attackers can systematically determine which user accounts exist within the application's database. The flaw fundamentally undermines the security posture of the authentication system by providing malicious actors with a method to enumerate valid user credentials without proper authorization.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through the application's response behavior when processing authentication requests. When an attacker submits a login attempt with a username that exists in the database, the application generates a different response compared to when the username does not exist. This differential response timing or message content creates a side-channel attack vector that allows for user enumeration. The vulnerability operates under the Common Weakness Enumeration classification of CWE-200, which specifically addresses information exposure, and falls within the ATT&CK framework under T1562.001 for "Impair Defenses: Disable or Modify Tools" and T1589.003 for "Reconnaissance: Gather Victim Identity Information." The flaw demonstrates a classic case of insufficient error handling and response normalization that directly enables credential harvesting through automated attack methodologies.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-23283 extends beyond simple information disclosure, creating a foundation for more severe attacks including account takeover, privilege escalation, and potential lateral movement within the affected environment. Once attackers have compiled a list of valid user accounts, they can focus subsequent attack efforts on specific targets rather than conducting broad, inefficient brute force attempts. This vulnerability essentially provides attackers with a reconnaissance advantage that significantly reduces the time and computational resources required for successful compromise. Organizations utilizing the mConnect application version 02.001.00 face heightened risk of unauthorized access, data breaches, and potential regulatory compliance violations due to the exposure of user account information. The vulnerability also impacts the overall security architecture by weakening the authentication controls that should serve as the primary defense mechanism against unauthorized access attempts.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-23283 must address both the immediate technical flaw and implement comprehensive defensive measures to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging. The primary remediation involves implementing consistent response handling for all authentication attempts regardless of whether the username exists in the database, ensuring that error messages and response times remain uniform for both valid and invalid login attempts. This approach aligns with the principle of defense in depth and specifically addresses the root cause of the information disclosure. Organizations should also implement account lockout mechanisms, rate limiting, and multi-factor authentication to provide additional layers of security. The implementation of proper input validation, response normalization, and consistent error handling practices directly addresses the CWE-200 weakness while providing a robust framework for preventing similar vulnerabilities. Security teams should conduct regular penetration testing and vulnerability assessments to identify and remediate similar flaws in authentication systems, ensuring that all user-facing authentication interfaces maintain consistent behavior and do not inadvertently expose sensitive information through response variations.