CVE-2021-44037 in Team Password Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 11/19/2021
Team Password Manager (aka TeamPasswordManager) before 10.135.236 allows password-reset poisoning.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/22/2021
Team Password Manager vulnerability CVE-2021-44037 represents a critical password reset poisoning flaw affecting versions prior to 10.135.236. This vulnerability resides in the application's password reset functionality and allows attackers to manipulate the password recovery process through crafted requests. The flaw enables unauthorized users to potentially bypass normal authentication mechanisms and gain access to user accounts without proper authorization. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the password reset workflow, creating a pathway for malicious actors to inject crafted data into the reset process. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-20, which encompasses improper input validation, and specifically relates to weak controls over password reset mechanisms that could allow for session hijacking or account takeover scenarios. The attack vector typically involves intercepting or manipulating password reset tokens and email addresses during the authentication flow, potentially enabling attackers to reset passwords for arbitrary user accounts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple account compromise as it can facilitate broader security breaches within organizations that rely on Team Password Manager for credential management. When exploited successfully, the vulnerability allows attackers to poison the password reset process by manipulating parameters such as email addresses, reset tokens, or user identifiers. This can result in unauthorized access to sensitive password databases, potentially exposing thousands of credentials across multiple systems. The vulnerability's severity is amplified by the fact that password managers typically store highly sensitive authentication data, making successful exploitation particularly damaging. Organizations using affected versions may experience cascading security failures as compromised accounts can lead to further unauthorized access throughout the network infrastructure. The vulnerability also impacts the integrity of the authentication system by allowing attackers to manipulate the trust relationships between users and the password management system.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as part of the broader category of authentication bypass and session management flaws that align with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers credential harvesting through various methods including password reset poisoning. The vulnerability demonstrates a failure in implementing proper cryptographic controls and input sanitization, which are fundamental requirements for secure authentication systems according to NIST SP 800-63B guidelines for digital identity management. Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating to Team Password Manager version 10.135.236 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the input validation weaknesses. Additional protective measures should include monitoring for unusual password reset activities, implementing rate limiting on reset requests, and ensuring proper token generation with sufficient entropy. Network segmentation and intrusion detection systems should be configured to monitor for suspicious patterns in authentication traffic, particularly around password reset endpoints. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper security testing including penetration testing and code review processes to identify similar weaknesses in authentication flows, particularly in applications handling sensitive credential information.
Organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify all instances of Team Password Manager installations that may be vulnerable to this exploit, particularly in environments where password reset functionality is heavily utilized. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing proper input validation controls throughout application development lifecycle processes. Regular security audits should include examination of authentication mechanisms for proper implementation of cryptographic controls and resistance to manipulation attacks. The incident also underscores the need for implementing defense-in-depth strategies that include multiple layers of protection beyond simple authentication controls, such as multi-factor authentication and continuous monitoring of authentication events for anomalous patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts.