CVE-2021-42001 in PingID Desktop
Summary
by MITRE • 05/01/2022
PingID Desktop prior to 1.7.3 has a misconfiguration in the encryption libraries which can lead to sensitive data exposure. An attacker capable of exploiting this vulnerability may be able to successfully complete an MFA challenge via OTP.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/04/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-42001 affects PingID Desktop software versions prior to 1.7.3, representing a critical misconfiguration within the application's encryption libraries that exposes sensitive data. This weakness specifically impacts the authentication process by potentially allowing unauthorized access to multi-factor authentication challenges through the manipulation of one-time passwords. The flaw resides in how the desktop application handles cryptographic operations, creating an avenue for attackers to bypass security controls that should protect against unauthorized authentication attempts.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper configuration of encryption libraries within the PingID Desktop client, which operates under the principle of secure credential handling as defined by cybersecurity frameworks such as those outlined in the NIST SP 800-57 standard for cryptographic key management. The misconfiguration creates a path where sensitive authentication data can be intercepted or manipulated, effectively undermining the security model that relies on proper encryption practices. This issue directly relates to CWE-310, which addresses cryptographic weaknesses, and more specifically CWE-327, which deals with the use of insecure or weak cryptographic algorithms or protocols. The vulnerability represents a failure in implementing proper cryptographic implementation practices as outlined in the OWASP Cryptographic Storage Cheat Sheet.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it enables attackers to successfully complete multi-factor authentication challenges through the exploitation of the compromised encryption mechanisms. An attacker with sufficient privileges or access to the target system could potentially leverage this weakness to authenticate as legitimate users without proper authorization, effectively bypassing the additional security layer that MFA is designed to provide. This creates a significant risk for organizations relying on PingID Desktop for secure authentication, as the vulnerability could allow for privilege escalation attacks or unauthorized access to sensitive systems and data. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that this affects desktop authentication clients that typically operate in environments with elevated privileges and access to corporate resources.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2021-42001 should prioritize immediate software updates to PingID Desktop version 1.7.3 or later, which contain the necessary cryptographic library configurations to address the identified misconfiguration. Organizations should also implement network monitoring to detect unusual authentication patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, as outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework's credential access techniques. Additional defensive measures include verifying the integrity of authentication processes through regular security assessments and ensuring that all cryptographic libraries are properly configured according to industry standards such as FIPS 140-2 compliance requirements. Security teams should also consider implementing additional authentication controls and monitoring for anomalous behavior in the authentication logs, as this vulnerability specifically targets the integrity of the MFA challenge-response mechanism. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to validate that the updated encryption libraries function correctly without introducing compatibility issues with existing authentication infrastructure, ensuring that the fix does not inadvertently create new security weaknesses while addressing the original vulnerability.