CVE-2024-45832 in Mobile Logic Application
Summary
by MITRE • 01/17/2025
Hard-coded credentials were included as part of the application binary. These credentials served as part of the application authentication flow and communication with the mobile application. An attacker could access unauthorized information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/17/2025
Hard-coded credentials represent a critical security vulnerability that fundamentally undermines application authentication mechanisms and exposes sensitive systems to unauthorized access. This particular vulnerability affects the authentication flow between application components and mobile clients, creating a persistent backdoor that remains active throughout the application lifecycle. The presence of hard-coded credentials within the application binary indicates a fundamental failure in secure coding practices and demonstrates a lack of proper credential management protocols. Such vulnerabilities are classified under CWE-798, which specifically addresses the use of hard-coded credentials in software, making them particularly dangerous because they cannot be easily updated or rotated without redistributing the entire application. The attack surface extends beyond simple credential theft to encompass complete system compromise when these credentials are used for authentication with backend services, databases, or other critical infrastructure components.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves embedding authentication tokens, passwords, API keys, or other sensitive credentials directly into the source code or compiled binary of the application. This approach eliminates the possibility of dynamic credential management and creates a situation where any individual with access to the application binary can extract and utilize these credentials for unauthorized access. Mobile applications are particularly vulnerable to this type of attack because they are often distributed through multiple channels and may be reverse-engineered by determined adversaries. The authentication flow becomes compromised at its core since the credentials are no longer managed through secure, dynamic processes but instead reside permanently within the application's executable code. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1552.001, which covers "Credentials In Files" and demonstrates how attackers can leverage compromised applications to gain persistent access to systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple unauthorized access to unauthorized information disclosure and system compromise. When hard-coded credentials are present in mobile applications, attackers can potentially access sensitive user data, perform unauthorized transactions, gain administrative privileges, or use the compromised credentials to pivot to other systems within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability's persistence means that even after the original application is updated, any previously distributed versions containing the hard-coded credentials remain exploitable until all instances are replaced. This creates a significant risk for organizations that distribute mobile applications through multiple channels, as each version may contain the same hard-coded credentials. The exposure of such credentials can lead to data breaches, regulatory compliance violations, financial losses, and reputational damage. The vulnerability also affects the principle of least privilege since these credentials often possess elevated privileges necessary to access critical systems and data repositories.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate remediation through secure code practices and comprehensive application redesign. Organizations must implement proper credential management systems that utilize environment variables, secure configuration management tools, or dedicated credential services rather than embedding sensitive information within application binaries. The application architecture should be redesigned to eliminate hard-coded credentials and instead utilize secure authentication mechanisms such as token-based authentication, certificate-based authentication, or secure credential retrieval services. Regular security testing including static application security testing and dynamic analysis should be implemented to identify and remediate such vulnerabilities during the development lifecycle. The implementation of secure coding standards and regular security training for development teams can significantly reduce the occurrence of hard-coded credentials in future releases. Additionally, organizations should implement credential rotation policies and ensure that any previously distributed versions containing hard-coded credentials are immediately recalled and updated to prevent ongoing exploitation. The vulnerability also highlights the need for proper application distribution and version control processes to prevent accidental distribution of insecure application versions.