CVE-2024-6295 in News App
Summary
by MITRE • 06/25/2024
udn News Android APP stores the unencrypted user session in the local database when user log into the application. A malicious APP or an attacker with physical access to the Android device can retrieve this session and use it to log into the news APP and other services provided by udn.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/25/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-6295 represents a critical security flaw in the udn News Android application where user session data is stored in an unencrypted local database upon authentication. This design decision creates a significant attack surface that directly violates established security principles for session management and data protection. The flaw stems from improper handling of sensitive session information within the application's local storage mechanisms, effectively undermining the security of user authentication states.
This vulnerability constitutes a direct violation of multiple security standards including CWE-312 (Sensitive Data Exposure) and CWE-522 (Insufficiently Protected Credentials). The implementation fails to adhere to the principle of least privilege and secure data handling practices that are fundamental to mobile application security. When users authenticate to the udn News application, their session tokens are persisted in plaintext within the local database without any form of encryption or access controls, creating a persistent security risk that remains active even when the application is not running.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it enables both local and remote attack vectors. An attacker with physical access to an Android device can directly extract session data from the local database through various techniques including direct file system access, backup extraction, or exploitation of other applications with sufficient privileges. Additionally, malicious applications installed on the same device can potentially access the database through shared user IDs or other privilege escalation techniques. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1552.001 (Unsecured Credentials) and T1552.006 (Credentials in Files), which specifically address the exposure of authentication tokens and session data.
The consequences extend beyond simple unauthorized access to the udn News application itself, as compromised sessions can potentially be used to access additional services or resources that share authentication mechanisms with the news application. This creates a cascading security risk where a single compromised session can provide access to multiple systems or services. The vulnerability affects all users who have authenticated to the application and whose devices are not properly secured with encryption or other protective measures. Security professionals should consider this issue as part of broader mobile application security assessments and recommend immediate remediation through encryption of session data, implementation of proper access controls, and adherence to secure coding practices for mobile applications.
Recommended mitigations include implementing strong encryption for all locally stored session data, utilizing Android's built-in secure storage mechanisms such as Android Keystore, implementing proper database access controls, and conducting comprehensive security reviews of all local data storage practices. Organizations should also consider implementing additional authentication layers such as two-factor authentication and session timeout mechanisms to reduce the window of opportunity for exploitation. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of following security best practices in mobile application development and the need for regular security testing and code reviews to identify and remediate similar issues before they can be exploited by malicious actors.