Airscanner Mobile Security Advisory #05081201: PDAapps Verichat v1.30bh Local Password Disclosure
Airscanner Mobile Security Advisory #05081201:
PDAapps Verichat v1.30bh Local Password Disclosure
Product:
PDAapps Verichat v1.30bh
Platform:
Tested on Windows Mobile Pocket PC 2003
Requirements:
Mobile device running Windows Mobile Pocket PC with Verichat v1.30bh installed
Credits:
Jonathan Read, CISSP
Airscanner Mobile Security
http://www.airscanner.com
Mobile Antivirus Researchers Association
http://www.mobileav.org
Date:
August 12 2005
Risk Level:
Medium; a local attacker can view passwords in plain text.
Summary:
Verichat is instant messaging software that allows a user to connect to many
different instant messaging accounts at once. It supports AOL, Yahoo!, MSN and
ICQ on a Pocket PC device.
http://www.pdaapps.com/verichat_ppc/index.html
Details:
Verichat instant messenger does not implement any security measures for user
passwords. Usernames and passwords are stored in plain text in the
device’s registry. Although Windows Mobile does not come with a native
registry editor, third party software can be used to view these passwords with
ease.
Passwords are stored in the following location by default:
\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\PDAapps\VeriChat
Each messenger client is represented at this path. For example, if an attacker
wanted to find the MSN password, he would simply browse to the MSN registry key
and look at the first two values. The first value is the password and the
second value is the username.
Workaround:
None
Vendor Response
Waiting response.
Copyright (c) 2005 Airscanner Corp.
http://www.airscanner.com
Online Advisory
http://airscanner.com/security//05081201_verichat.htm
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Disclaimer: The information in the advisory is believed to be accurate at the
time of publishing based on currently available information. Use of the
information constitutes acceptance for use on an AS IS condition. There are no
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