CVE-2023-49341 in Nquire 1000 Interactive Kiosk
Summary
by MITRE • 03/09/2024
An issue was discovered in Newland Nquire 1000 Interactive Kiosk version NQ1000-II_G_V1.00.011, allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via cleartext credential storage in backup.htm component.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/27/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-49341 affects the Newland Nquire 1000 Interactive Kiosk device running firmware version NQ1000-II_G_V1.00.011. This security flaw resides within the backup.htm component of the device's web interface, creating a significant exposure risk for organizations relying on this kiosk system for public or sensitive operations. The device operates as an interactive kiosk in various deployment scenarios including retail environments, government facilities, and industrial applications where authentication credentials are essential for system access and operation.
The technical flaw manifests through cleartext credential storage practices within the backup.htm component, which stores authentication information in an unencrypted format. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-312, which describes the exposure of sensitive information through cleartext storage, and represents a critical weakness in the device's security architecture. The backup.htm file likely contains administrative credentials, network authentication details, or other sensitive authentication tokens that are stored without proper encryption or obfuscation mechanisms. Attackers can remotely access this component and extract these credentials, potentially gaining unauthorized administrative access to the kiosk system and compromising the entire device infrastructure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it creates a persistent security risk for organizations deploying these kiosks in production environments. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to the kiosk's administrative interface, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or service disruption. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers credential harvesting through various attack vectors, and T1078 which addresses legitimate credentials usage. Organizations using these kiosks may face unauthorized access to sensitive data, system manipulation, and potential lateral movement within their network infrastructure if the kiosk is connected to internal systems.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate firmware updates from Newland to address the cleartext credential storage issue, combined with network segmentation to isolate these devices from critical internal systems. Security professionals should implement network monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts to the backup.htm component and establish regular credential rotation procedures. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure configuration management and proper credential handling practices as outlined in NIST SP 800-53 security controls. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security layers such as network access control, intrusion detection systems, and regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other legacy systems. The incident underscores the critical need for proper software development practices that follow secure coding guidelines and avoid storing sensitive information in unencrypted formats within web applications.